Tofu-kozo

◆ The legend

A child yokai wearing a large straw hat and solemnly carrying a block of tofu on a tray. He pops up on roads after the rain — but he doesn't scare anyone or attack anyone. He just stands there holding his tofu. That's it.

He became a hit character in Edo-period kusazoshi (illustrated books for adults), spreading through print before he ever had much of a legend — something like a mascot character of his day. Still, don't let your guard down: his tofu carries a maple-leaf mark, and one tale says that if you eat it, mold will grow on your body. If he offers you some, it's safest to politely decline.