A mountain-bound apparition from Niigata Prefecture that appears as a small child and chases travelers. When cut, it splits in two and multiplies, doubling again and again to surround its target. Encounters are told to occur at night, and the horde disperses at the sound of a rooster’s crow. The name is written as “Kiri Ichibē” or “Kiri/Ichi-bai” (Cut-and-Double), referring to its doubling nature. A well-known motif features a samurai meeting it on a mountain pass.
Folklore & Legends
A samurai crossing a small pass was pursued by a child calling, “Walk faster so Father can carry you.” Sensing danger, he struck the child; it split in two and each one multiplied, soon forming a mass that hemmed him in. As he fled in panic, a rooster crowed and the beings said, “It’s dawn—let’s go home,” then vanished. Later he realized the crowing had come from the rooster ornament on his sword’s hilt. Similar tales are recorded across Niigata with variant names such as Kiri Ichibē and Kiri/Ichi-bai.
A multiplying apparition said to appear at night on mountain passes and bypaths in Niigata. It takes the form of a small child to lower one’s guard, then hounds its target into striking; each cut doubles its number, forcing flight. Its true nature is unstated—seen as a vengeful spirit or a mountain entity—but folklore stresses that its power fails at dawn or at the cock’s crow. The name “Ichibai” points to its doubling trait, and tales note chicken motifs on sword fittings acting as talismans. Its exact origin is unknown; encounter stories warn against night travel on mountain roads.
Character Profile
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