In Japanese folklore there is a yokai known as a azuki arai. This ghostly phenomenon occurs near water, when the sound of azuki beans can be heard rattling and making a 'shoki shoki' sound. The spirit responsible often sings a song along the lines of 'should I wash my beans or find a person to eat instead?'
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Azukiarai as depicted in Takehara Shunsen's Ehon Hyaku Monogatari. |
If you approach the singing you will almost certainly fall in the water. Azuki arai is depicted as a short ugly man with bulging yellow eyes, although he is rarely seen. Actually, if you do see him, it is considered to be a lucky omen. As with many of these mysterious Japanese yokai, azuki baba is sometimes believed to be a tanuki in disguise.
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Tatsuya Morino in 'Yokai Attack' |
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Azuki arai figurine |
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