Kasha Cat | A legend of a shape-shifting cat and a yokai kokeshi doll from Mishima Town, Oku-Aizu [Fukushima Prefecture]

Mishima Town, Onuma District, Fukushima Prefecture. This municipality is located in a region commonly Oku-Aizu , very close to the border with Niigata Prefecture.

you'll find a type of kokeshi doll called the "Kasha Cat Kokeshi, " which doesn't belong to any of the generally known "12 types of kokeshi dolls," "Kasha Cat Legend" of kokeshi doll.

This time, we've taken a deeper look at the "Kasha Cat" of Mishima Town

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What is Mishima Town?

Mishima Town is located in the central-western part of the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture, with a population of approximately 1,200 people (as of 2026).

The town's name originates from the "Mishima Shrine" located in the former Miyashita Village, and the Aizu-Miyashita Station on the Tadami Line is located in the town center

It is the center of production for Aizu-kiri the highest quality paulownia wood in Japan is also famous as the town where the Miyashita Arch Three Brothers (Bridges), one

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"Kasha Cat Kokeshi" from Mishima Town

The "Kasha Cat Kokeshi" a "Yokai Kokeshi" (supernatural unlike the generally known human-shaped kokeshi dolls , and therefore has a rather frightening appearance...

the Aralia elata known as a wild edible plant . The rough carving of the Aralia elata is then modified by adding fangs and whiskers.

Each cat is handcrafted, taking advantage of the natural shape of the wood, so no two are exactly alike. Some cats are extremely curved to match the shape of the wood, while others stand upright with excellent posture

The body has a label that reads "Okuaizu Shizukurayama Kasha Cat Mishima Town"

They come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and expressions, so finding your favorite one is quite fun

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The "Kasha Cat Legend" of Mishima Town

"Kasha-neko" has a scary face, as befits a yokai (supernatural creature)

So what kind of yokai is it? The "Kasha Cat Legend" passed down in Mishima Town is roughly as follows:

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Is it related to the yokai "Kasha"?

Kasha is a type of yokai (supernatural creature) found in various parts of Japan, said to appear during funerals and steal the bodies of the deceased.

to a vehicle with a wheel of fire that carries the deceased to hell .

As time passed, it came to be described as a yokai (supernatural creature), and is said to have come to refer to a demon god that comes to steal corpses

"Nekomata," which is said to be a pet cat that transforms into a human to eat or abduct people as it ages the "Kasha," which comes to steal corpses , merged due to their similar characteristics, and thus, cat-shaped Kasha also came to be depicted in stories.

Toriyama Sekien , a famous Edo-period ukiyo-e artist known for his depictions of yokai (supernatural beings , included a cat-shaped Kasha (fire-wheel) in his collection of yokai illustrations , "Gazu Hyakki Yagyō" (Illustrated Night Parade of One Hundred Demons)

Therefore, that appearance is

• A car with wheels engulfed in flames
• A demon god (thunder god) that appears with the sound of thunder
• A monster in the form of a cat

These are just some of the various things that have been said about it

The Kasha cat of Mishima Town also possesses the characteristic of a "Kasha" (fire carriage) that carries away corpses, so there is a very good chance that it originated from a " cat-shaped Kasha ." It may have originally been a "Kasha cat."

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Where to buy "Kasha Cat Kokeshi"

Kasha Neko Kokeshi dolls "Mishima Town Tourism Exchange Center Karankoron" and "Michi-no-Eki Oze Kaido Mishima-juku" . Both are facilities that serve as bases for sightseeing in Mishima Town, so please stop by when you visit.

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I had absolutely no idea that there was such a thing as "Yokai Kokeshi" among the Kokeshi dolls, a representative folk craft of the Tohoku region..

the neighboring town of Yanaiizu the "Akabeko" (red cow) toy, Okuaizu might just be a treasure trove of local toys... When you visit as a tourist, be sure to pick up a "Kasha Neko Kokeshi"

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