Ippondatara

nature-spirit · Japan · East Asia and Pacific

Ippondatara (一本足) is a yōkai of the mountain districts of Kinki and Shikoku, especially Kumano in Wakayama: a being with a single leg and often a single eye that appears on mountain passes and roads during heavy rain, walking with a crashing, staggering gait. It is easily startled and flees when humans shout or throw things, though travelers who panic before it may be frightened to death.

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