Bob-haired child calling "water or tea?" on the night road
Kabukiri-kozo
A bob-haired child smiles on the darkening road: "Water? Tea?" Touch the thin arm, and your fingers find soft fur.
Overview
Kabukiri-kozo is a yokai from the Shimosa region, appearing as a small child with bobbed hair and unusual clothing. It is said to be a mujina in disguise and belongs to playful deceiving animal tales.
Encounter
It stands alone on a lonely mountain or night road and calls out to passersby, offering water or tea. Sometimes it hides its face under clothing and slips into children's play.
Lore
It is listed in references such as Digital Daijisen Plus as a childlike deceiving yokai of Shimosa. The name is connected to kaburo-kiri, a bobbed child's haircut.
Traits
It favors confusion over harm. If grabbed or stripped of its disguise, a furry arm appears and the creature runs back into the brush as a mujina.
