AO BOZU

Lore

Ao Bozu (青坊主) is a yokai whose name blends bozu (monk) with ao, meaning blue, but also symbolizing immaturity or pallor. He is often depicted as a one-eyed priest—a trait linked to curses in local demonology. Folklore descriptions vary from giant shadows in blue robes to tiny novices, sometimes with unnaturally long arms for snatching victims.

Regional sources reveal diverse identities. In some areas, he is a prank-loving tanuki in a cleric disguise. In Kagawa, he is a malicious spirit who drives people to suicide with a touch of his freakishly long arm. Elsewhere, he manifests as a child monk who challenges travelers to deadly sumo bouts or stalks children who stay out too late in the wheat fields.

His territory is vast, spanning mountain paths, forests, and even urban buildings. Unlike many spirits of the night, Ao Bozu is bold enough to appear and attack at high noon, enforcing taboos or simply seeking to amuse himself through lethal tricks.