Zashiki-warashi
The Zashiki-warashi is a child spirit that is said to reside in rooms or storehouses. It is believed that homes with a Zashiki-warashi will thrive, while those from which it leaves will become poor. In the harsh and fluctuating climates of the Tohoku region, where severe winters and multiple famines occurred during the Edo period, many infants died due to harsh conditions, often through infanticide, which was seen as returning the child to the gods. These infants were not buried in cemeteries but instead were buried in the household’s earthen floors or kitchens. According to legend, the spirits of these children transformed into Zashiki-warashi.
Regions and Locations Associated with This Yokai
Tohoku, Kanto regions / Homes, Inns
