Chochin-kozo - 提灯小僧 - [Yokai]

• About this yokai:
A mischievous yokai that appears from nowhere on particularly drizzly evenings near the out skirts of Aoba Castle, Sendai Miyagi Prefecture: appearing as an unassuming young boy with messy hair, he holds a lantern and quickly runs ahead of you and stares back in your direction with an spooky expression, his face begins to glow a bright red (like a lantern plant.) as you catch up: he runs further ahead & continues staring back... he does this repeatedly until day break when he vanishes into thin air.

• History and earliest appearance:

[from 1853's 狂歌百物語 "Kyōka HyakuMonogatari" [you can check out the full book here: https://libmma.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16028coll7/id/5056 ]

This yokais appearance was thought to have something to do with various murders in the Aoba castle area. Notably its said to have begun to appear shortly after a man murdered his wife. - (The lamps face also resembles the famous Chochin Oiwa. (and knowing how Oiwa was killed, I guess supposed to be a clue. ) –

Chōchin Kozō is thought to be a yokai that appears on rainy nights in places where people have been murdered. its said that the regrets of those murdered perhaps turned into a Yokai. – There are also a couple of parallel prankster yokai that behave similarly to this one for instance One of the Seven Wonders of Honjo, Tokyo - "Okuri Chōchin' is a yokai of a woman that appears before those without light at night, she simply guides the person home. --aside from being the potential residue of murders, they’re cute right?

Sticker art by @samkalensky part of my night parade of 100 demons sticker series, check my shop & follow for many more!