In Japanese folklore, Yokai are monsters and demons that have supernatural powers. But they are not to be afraid of. Besides occasionally bringing good fortune to those who encounter them, some of them are ridiculously weird:
One of them is Kappa.
Kappa are aquatic reptilian humanoids who inhabit the rivers and streams found all over Japan. Clumsy on land, their home is in the water, where they thrive during the warmer months.
But they are obsessed over being polite. According to the Japanese folklore, if you happen to encounter one, the only thing you have to do to escape is to bow.
Being polite, Kappa will return the bow and, by doing so, the water kept in the lilypad-like bowl on their head would spill out and the kappa would be rendered, unable to leave the bowed position until the bowl was refilled with water from the river in which it lived. (the article continues after the ad)
The other one is Betobeto-San.
Betobeto-san is a formless specter, and is only recognizable by the telltale sound it makes – the “beto beto” sound of wooden sandals clacking on the ground.
People who walk the streets alone at night sometimes encounter this harmless but nonetheless disturbing yokai. It synchronizes its pace with walkers and follows them as long as it can, getting closer and closer with each step. The haunting sound of footsteps follows them wherever they go, but every time they turn around to see what is following them, they find nothing.
Though Betobeto-san can be quite disconcerting, it is not dangerous. Once someone realizes he or she is being followed by Betobeto-san, simply stepping to the side of the road and saying, “After you, Betobeto-san,” is enough to escape from this yokai.
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Photos: www.yokai.wikia.com
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