Oitekebori

In Japanese folklore, Oitekebori is strange apparition that takes the form of a human ghost. The story goes that one evening, two fishermen were fishing in a canal in Tokyo and they were catching more fish than usual. As they were preparing to go home they heard an eerie voice coming from the canal calling 'oite ike' which means 'drop it and get out of here.' In one version of the tale, they grab their baskets and run home only to find that their fish have disappeared. In another version, one of the fishermen was dragged into the water and never seen again. 

'Seven Wonders of Honjo' - Utagawa Kuniteru.

There are many different explanations for this strange event. Some believe it was a kappa who was too lazy lazy to catch his own food, others think a tanuki was behind it, and some say it may have been the work of a suppon (soft-shelled turtle ghost). Oitekebori also features in Shigeru Mizuki's 'GeGeGe no Kitaro' story, in both the manga, and in one of the anime adaptations.

Oitekebori manga

Shigeru Mizuki