A goldfish’s spirit that once swam inside a paper lantern mingled with the festival night’s heat and flame, transforming into a yokai. It appears as a tiny goldfish made of light, drifting through summer evenings and softly illuminating those it passes.
Folklore & Legends
A contemporary yokai said to have emerged on August 18, 2025—born from modern life and the culture of summer festivals, offering a new shape to Japan’s living folklore.
Kingyo-akari is a yokai said to be born from the dream of a goldfish trapped inside a summer festival lantern. At night it drifts softly through the air, scattering light with its glowing red tail. It appears before lost children and gently lights their way, but if one becomes too enchanted, it may lead them far from the festival’s bustle. Though small and endearing, when its light flickers out, people say it heralds the end of summer.
Character Profile
This section is our own creative profile for storytelling. It is not historical fact or scholarship.
The diagram below is a diagnostic evaluation chart for Modern Version. The higher the value of each item, the stronger that characteristic is expressed.
Meet your guardian yokai at the shrine
Draw an omikuji fortune and discover the yokai watching over you today.
