Hyosube - ひょうすべ - [Yokai]

•About this Yokai•

Hyōsube ひょうすべ  are one of the nastier cousins of the Kappa & Garappa: Native to Saga and Miyazaki Prefectures in Kyushu, where they live in rivers and in deep underwater caves. - They are covered from head to toe in pelts of greasy hairs that pick up oil, grime, bacteria and other groudy stuff, it’s constantly shedding and falling out..

Despite this: surprisingly there’s nothing a Hyosube loves better than to take a bath, unfortunately, it will always do so in /your/ bathtub and it never tidies up after it’s done: it leaves behind a thick germinating layer of grime and hairy sludge in your tub. – One story tells of a Hyōsube’s leftover bathwater which was tossed out the window caused a nearby Horse to drop dead seconds after!! 

This yokai also has an infectious evil cackle which resounds like a battle cry: “Hyo~Hyo!!” ~ Those unfortunate enough hear it, will begin to giggle to themselves, shortly feeling ill, losing their breath and turning purple (just like his favorite snack!) The worst part is, that the laughter can quickly spread, becoming an epidemic. it’s said that simply looking at Hyosube one will cause you to feel ill.
Similar as to how the kappa’s favourite meal is cucumbers, Hyōsube prefer eggplants, they’re pests, sometimes ravaging entire fields, so farmers will often leave out eggplants to try and placate this yokai. - Also like Kappa Hyosube also enjoys shirikodama (the little spirit orb which is stored behind your liver towards your butt.) However unlike most kappa which simply reach up in there and yank it out, this yokai will savagely gnaw on your butt with its razor sharp fangs to get to it (So uh, yes, it eats A$$, quite literally.) Apparently despite the size of its noggin, it has a very small brain.

Hyosube is featured in some of the earliest picture scrolls about yokai, including Bakemo no e & Gazu Hyakki yagyo

 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!