Are you lucky if you see one? We uncover the truth behind the "Zashiki Warashi" that is passed down through the generations at Kindaichi Onsen! [Iwate Prefecture]

Kindaichi Onsen is a hot spring resort nestled quietly in the mountains of Ninohe City in northern Iwate Prefecture . This hot spring area, which has been cherished as a therapeutic bathing spot since ancient times, is home to a legend of a "Zashiki Warashi" (a type of house spirit)

The sight of children standing or playing in the parlor is said to bring good fortune to those who see them, and Kindaichi Onsen has become known as "a zashiki-warashia hot spring resort where you might meet ."

In this article, we will explore the legend of the Zashiki Warashi associated with Kindaichi Onsen and the truth behind it

---

What kind of monster is a Zashiki-warashi?

Zashiki-warashi arechild-like yokai or spirits that. They are mainly passed down in the Tohoku region and are sometimes called "zashiki-bokko."

They are said to appear in the parlors or storehouses of houses , reside in those houses, and bring good fortune to those who see them

Characteristics of Zashiki-warashi

• A small child (gender not specified) with a bob or shaved head
• Men usually wear dark kimonos with kasuri or stripes, while women usually wear red chanchanko
• He has a mischievous side, standing there silently smiling, making noises and leaving footprints
• They pose no harm to people; rather,they are guardians of the home.

While they are seen as benevolent beings that bring happiness, it is also said that "a house from which a Zashiki-warashi has departed will eventually decline."

In other words, the presence of a zashiki-warashi (house spirit) is seen as a symbol of the prosperity of the household, while its absence can be interpreted as evidence that something unseen has been lost

Similar legends exist throughout Japan, but in Kindaichi Onsen in northern Iwate Prefecture, particularly realistic sightings and rumors persist. The center of these storiesRyokufusoinn in Kindaichi Onsen.

---

The story of the Zashiki-warashi handed down at Kindaichi Onsen Ryokufuso

There is a long-established inn called Ryokufuso in Kindaichi Onsen , and it is said that a zashiki-warashi (a type of house spirit) has been appearing there for a long time

Since the Showa era, it has been rumored that a zashiki-warashi (a type of house spirit) lives in this inn, and numeroussightings and strange experienceshave been reported by guests and staff alike.

Furthermore, Ryokufuso has a story that tells us the origins of the zashiki-warashi, whose true identity is unknown

The origin of the Zashiki-warashi of Ryokufuso

During the Nanboku-cho period (1336-1392), Fujifusa Madarikoji, who served the Southern Court, fled to the Tohoku region to avoid the chaos of war and ended up in what is now Kindaichi, Ninohe City, Iwate Prefecture

However, during that journey, one of the two children traveling with him, the elder brother Kamemaro, fell ill at the age of six. It is said that on his deathbed , he left behind the words, " I will protect the family for generations to come ."

Since then, it is said that Kamemaro has appeared in the inner parlor of Ryokufuso, the "Enju Room," as the guardian spirit of the house, and there is even a shrine dedicated to Kamemaro, the "Kamemaro Shrine (Warashi Shrine)," at Ryokufuso

Regarding the downward movement of Fujifusa, from the perspective of historical research it is merely a hypothesis, but it is firmly rooted in local culture as a religious truth

An example of an eyewitness account

One night, a guest staying in a room at an inn woke up in the middle of the night and saw an unfamiliar child sitting in the corner of the room. The child stared silently and quietly, its appearance somehow otherworldly, and before the guest knew it, it had vanished.

The next morning, when he told the innkeeper about it, they said, " Ah, that must have been a zashiki-warashi (house spirit). I'm glad you got to see it ."

The revival of a once-vanished inn

In 2009, Ryokufuso was completely destroyed by fire. Some whispered that it was because the zashiki-warashi had disappeared

However, the inn was later beautifully rebuilt and the legend continues to this day. Rumors that "the zashiki-warashi has returned" are once again drawing people to the area

The Zashiki-warashi (house spirit) of Kindaichi Onsen is not merely a folktale; it quietly lives on as a "legend that is still ongoing."

---

summary

We learned that the legend of the Zashiki Warashi is not a story from long ago, but rather a "living story" that continues quietly to this day at Kindaichi Onsen

Not everyone who visits the inn will meet him (her?), but you may sense his presence behind the shoji screen or something next to your futon

When you notice such a "slight sense of discomfort," it may be that a zashiki-warashi is nearby

---

Ryokufuso <Information>

• Name: Ryokufuso, the legendary Zashiki Warashi inn
• Address: 41, Kindaichichogawa, Ninohe City, Iwate Prefecture, 028-5711
• Phone number: 0195-27-2131
• Official URL:https://www.zashiki-warashi.co.jp/

Google Map

---