A yokai named in Edo-period picture scrolls, read as “uyauyashi.” It crouches curled up as if kneeling, appearing either like a lump of flesh akin to the nuppefuhō (nuppeppō) or like a toad, sometimes illustrated with scattered white spots on its skin. No concrete deeds or origin are recorded; only its form and name survive. It is treated as an amorphous presence that appears in fields and mountains.
Folklore & Legends
Firm local traditions are scarce; it belongs to the type recorded by printed books and picture scrolls that list a name with an accompanying image. Explanatory illustrations show that when one approaches a huddled shape on a night road, a slick, breathing mass of flesh makes onlookers recoil; beyond this, no harms, boons, or anecdotes are known. The name evokes the idea of reverence and restraint, suggesting it was depicted as something to keep a wary distance from, but details were not preserved.
A reconstruction based on imagery from picture scrolls. It kneels low to the ground, the body slack, skin ashen-brown mottled with pale spots. The face is indistinct, the line between mouth and nose blurred, with a damp sheen. In keeping with rare records that preserve little more than its name, no guiding motive is assigned. Said to be seen as a crouching lump by mountain paths or along thickets, it inspires awe and a sense of distance. If approached, it withdraws before its form can be fixed, making pursuit difficult. No confirmed harm is attributed to it, and encounter tales remain general.
Character Profile
This section is our own creative profile for storytelling. It is not historical fact or scholarship.
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