Abura-akago (油赤子)

Origin & Mythology

Overview

Abura-akago is described as the ghost or spirit of an infant that appears at night, often seen licking the oil from traditional andon lamps (paper-covered oil lanterns used in Edo-period Japan).

This yōkai is believed to have originated from the spirit of someone who stole oil—a highly valuable commodity in the past—or from a soul that is deeply gluttonous or greedy, reborn in this ghostly infantile form.

Appearance

• Takes the form of a red-faced baby or infant ghost.
• Sometimes appears glowing faintly or with an ethereal aura.
• Moves by crawling or floating silently into homes at night.

Behavior

• Slips into homes under cover of darkness.
• Drinks the lamp oil, which traditionally came from fish (like sardines or whales), or sesame oil—considered precious.
• Known to be mischievous rather than malicious, but the act of consuming oil symbolizes wastefulness or punishment for greed.

Symbolism

• Greed: A reminder of the karmic consequences of theft or gluttony.
• Waste: Reflects how something as small as a ghost baby could quietly drain precious resources.
• Supernatural Retribution: In some variations, Abura-akago is the vengeful spirit of a child who died due to neglect.

Cultural Appearances

• Featured in Toriyama Sekien’s Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki (続百鬼) in the 18th century, a famous collection of yōkai illustrations.
• Sometimes conflated with other spirits like Abura-nusumi-no-rei (spirit of an oil thief).