No.020

Karakasa-obake

THE HOPPING UMBRELLA

For reference: old artUtagawa Yoshikazu（1848）
"Kasa-obake" from Hyakushu Kaidan Yobutsu Sugoroku
Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)

Japanese name: 唐傘お化け（KARAKASA-OBAKE）
Type: Haunted object
Found in: Forgotten corners of old houses

◆ The legend

A yokai said to be born from an old karakasa, a traditional Japanese umbrella of bamboo ribs and paper, that has been used for a long, long time. It takes the shape of a folded umbrella, with one big eye and a long tongue lolling from its mouth. Its handle has turned into a single leg, and it comes hopping along, boing, boing.

It does startle people, but few stories tell of it doing anyone real harm. It pops out, sticks out its tongue, and teases — a mischief-maker that's hard to dislike. People long ago believed that tools used for many years could gain a spirit of their own. Picture an old umbrella, tucked away and forgotten, hopping off because it wanted one more trip outside, and it starts to look rather sweet.

◆ Stories about this yokai

September 28, 2026Karakasa-obake, the Yokai That Grew Up in PicturesKarakasa-obake, the hopping umbrella, is one of the best-known yokai in Japan, yet few local legends tell of meeting one. How the shape of a Japanese umbrella became its body, and how it grew popular in toy prints and card games.