#oshouo

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9 Most Alcohol-Crazy Yokai (Many You’ve Never Heard Of) by Linfamy

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Oshouo

Behavior: Oshōuo are inauspicious yōkai. They summon strong winds and rainstorms which can result in poor catches or shipwrecks. They also place curses on people who see them.

Interactions: A fishermen who sees an oshōuo or who accidentally catches one should give them an offering of sake and then gently send them on their way. A captured oshōuo will clasp its front legs together as if praying, then begin to cry and beg for its life. In this case, the fisherman should agree to release them after making the oshōuo promise not to curse anyone ever again.

Origin: Oshōuo appear in Edo period encyclopedias such as Wakan sansai zue. They may have been inspired by sightings of sea turtles. They are often considered to be related to umi bōzu.