Chiisai Ojisan - 小さいおじさん - "Little Uncle" - [Urban legend | Yokai]

 Chiisai Ojisan  (JP: 小さいおじさん) "Little Old man/Uncle"

•About this Yokai:

ChiisaiOjisan are said to look like your average balding middle aged man – but – he's about the size of a mouse! (10-50cm) - Often said to be a fairy or akin to a sort of leprechaun, by which i mean: seeing him is said to be very lucky and you'll be even luckier if he interacts with you, meeting him is said to bring good luck and success,

As per typical "Fairy" behaviour, its said that he appears more frequently to children, However: He's been also known to appear before tired adults who have become overworked or fallen ill. Often giving the advice or the consolidation of a loving parent, he's known to kindly consolidate children who are crying or are upset! Encounters with the old man are generally delightful/positive but brief, as hes often spotted  jogging about in a green jumpsuit: waving "take care!" in a tiny, distant voice.

Conversely to that: they're occasionally said to pulling pranks or have the mouth of a sailor cursing at ya - regardless of their personality, They're rarely seen for long, as they're known to hightail it out of there the second you pull out your camera or phone. (They're very fast.) 

• History and early appearances:

Starting around 2009-2010, a lot of celebrities in japan, where talking about encountering the "Little Ojisan" & the story became so widespread, that soon people started adding to the narrative, one person said that they even saw his wife! – soon enough, it was said that its not just one, but perhaps an entire civilization of tiny people! - They even appeared in the news along side some (albeit grainy) 'photo evidence' dating back to 1972 during an Akita Prefecture school visit: [last slide.]

If you're working yourself to the point where you're /actually/ seeing tiny men darting around, then I'm sure he'd just tell you that its time for a lifestyle change! still i think he serves as a sweet reminder to do your best and take care of yourself.

 Sticker Art by @Samkalensky (yo thats me!) - Part of my Night parade of 100 Demons - Yokai & Japanese folklore sticker collection, weather-resistant 4" Glossy sticker. Check my shop & follow @samkalensky for many more!