Abura-sumashi
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![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/Abura_sumashi_montage.jpg/220px-Abura_sumashi_montage.jpg)
A depiction of the abura-sumashi.
Abura-sumashi (油すまし, "Oil Presser") is a creature from the folklore[citation needed] of Amakusa in Kumamoto prefecture.[citation needed]
Mythology[]
This spirit, which surprises people on the Kusazumigoe mountain pass,[citation needed] is thought to be the ghost of a human who stole oil.[citation needed]
- In the days before electricity, oil was a very valuable commodity, necessary for lighting and heating a house. As such, the theft of oil, particularly from temples and shrines, could lead to punishment via reincarnation as a yōkai.[citation needed]
In modern media the abura-sumashi is often depicted as, "a squat creature with a straw-coat covered body and a potato-like or stony head,"[citation needed] an appearance inspired by the artwork of Shigeru Mizuki.[citation needed]
References[]
- "Aburasumashi". The Obakemono Project. Archived from the original on 6 February 2006. Retrieved February 21, 2006.
- "Aburasumashi". Kaii-Yōkai Denshō Database. Retrieved October 10, 2006.
- "Sumoto-town (Home of Aburasumashi-don)". asahi.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved October 16, 2006.
Categories:
- Yōkai