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 located in the mountains of Ninohe City in northern Iwate Prefecture . This hot spring area has long been popular as a therapeutic hot spring resort, and the "Zashiki Warashi" (house spirit) has been passed down through the generations.

The image of a child standing in a tatami room or playing around. It is said that happiness will come to those who see it, and Kindaichi Onsen has become known as a hot spring resort where you might meet zashiki -warashi

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

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What kind of monster is a Zashiki-warashi?

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

They appear in the living rooms and storehouses of houses , and are said to take up residence in the houses and bring happiness 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 do not harm people, but rather protect the home.

They are like gods of fortune who bring happiness, but at the same time, it is said that "a house that has a zashiki-warashi left will eventually fall into decline."

In other words, the presence of a zashiki-warashi is a symbol of the prosperity of the home, while its absence can be seen as evidence that something invisible has been lost

Similar legends of the creature are passed down all over the country, but in Kindaichi Onsen in northern Iwate Prefecture, there are particularly many realistic sightings and rumors. At the center of these stories Ryokufuso .

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

Ryokufuso a long-established inn in Kindaichi Onsen , has long been said to be haunted by zashiki-warashi spirits.

Since the Showa era, it has been rumored that "a zashiki-warashi spirit lives in this inn," and many sightings and mysterious experiences have been reported by guests and employees.

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 the journey, the elder of the two children who were traveling with him, Kamemaro, fell ill at the age of six, and is said to have said on his deathbed, " I will continue to protect my family for generations to come

it is said that Kamemaro began appearing in the inner room of Ryokufuso, the Enju Room, as the guardian deity of the house, a "zashiki -warashi there is also , Kamemaro Shrine (Warashi Shrine),

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 at an inn woke up in the middle of the night to find
a child he didn't recognize sitting The child stared at him silently and quietly, something inhuman about him, and the next thing he knew, the child had vanished.

The next morning, when he told the innkeeper about it, he was told, Oh, that's a zashiki-warashi. 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 of Kindaichi Onsen is not just a folktale, but still lives on quietly as an ongoing legend

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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

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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/

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