Ashi-magari

is a ghostly phenomenon from the folklore of Kagawa Prefecture on Shikoku, Japan. It is a soft thing, like a kitten or a wad of cotton, which is felt wrapping itself around a person's leg at night, impeding the ability to walk. While it is not generally visible, it is often believed to be the trick of a "tanuki".

References

[http://www.nichibun.ac.jp/cgi-bin/YoukaiDB/ksearch.cgi?Name=%A5%A2%A5%B7%A5%DE%A5%AC%A5%EA&Submit2=%B8%A1%BA%F7&Pref=&Area=%C1%B4%B9%F1 Kaii*Yōkai Denshō Database: Ashi-magari] ]