Kawa akago (river babies) are the lesser known cousins of Japanese
kappa. These yokai lurk near waterways and appear as small red-skinned babies. They hide in the reeds and cry out to passers-by, copying the sound of a human baby. This crying continues until someone comes to
investigate.
As the person moves closer in search of the crying baby,
the kawa akago slowly creeps towards the water's edge.
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Kawaakago Statue on Sakaiminato Mizuki Shigeru Road in Sakaiminato City
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On reaching the water, the victim's legs are pulled out from under them and they tumble, or are pushed, into the water. While it is meant to be a prank, there have been reports of people
drowning, so it's definitely worth being on your guard if you hear a
'waah waah' coming from the water.
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Toriyama Sekien in Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki |
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Shota Kotake
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