Azukiarai

nihongo|Azukiarai|小豆洗い, "azuki bean washing", or nihongo|Azukitogi|小豆とぎ, "azuki bean grinding", is a ghostly phenomenon in Japanese folklore, in which a mysterious noise that sounds like azuki beans being washed or ground is heard. It usually occurs near a river or other body of water. Sometimes the creature or spirit responsible amuses itself by singing "azuki togō ka, hito totte kuō ka? shoki shoki." ("Will I grind my azuki beans, or will I get a person to eat? "shoki shoki"."), and anyone who approaches will inevitably fall into the water.

While the perpetrator is seldom seen, he is often described as a short-statured man of grotesque appearance with a large balding head, crooked teeth, thin moustache, large bulging yellow eyes, wearing ragged clothes and bent over a pail washing "azuki" beans. "Azukiarai" is sometimes blamed on a raccoon dog or weasel.

References

[http://www.top-page.jp/site/page/mizuki/complete_works/list/a002/] [http://www.nichibun.ac.jp/YoukaiCard/2360677.shtml] [http://www.nichibun.ac.jp/YoukaiCard/0700409.shtml] [http://www.nichibun.ac.jp/YoukaiCard/1070495.shtml] [http://www.nichibun.ac.jp/YoukaiCard/0870041.shtml] [http://www.nichibun.ac.jp/YoukaiCard/0470007.shtml] [http://obakemono.com/obake/azukiarai/]