An is a strange, furry '' yōkai'', or Japanese

monster A monster is a type of fictional creature found in horror, fantasy, science fiction, folklore, mythology and religion. Monsters are very often depicted as dangerous and aggressive with a strange, grotesque appearance that causes terror and fe ...

, that is illustrated in Sekien Toriyama's '' Gazu Hyakki Tsurezure Bukuro''.

Mythology

It is a type of '' tsukumogami'' formed from a

stirrup A stirrup is a light frame or ring that holds the foot of a rider, attached to the saddle by a strap, often called a ''stirrup leather''. Stirrups are usually paired and are used to aid in mounting and as a support while using a riding animal ( ...

, usually one that once belonged to a dead soldier. It is said that the ''abumi-guchi'' will wait where it lies for the dead soldier to return.

External links

* Tsukumogami {{Japan-myth-stub