Name Meaning
- Abura (油) = Oil
- Sumashi (すまし) = Calm or serene expression, or from sumasu (to clarify/purify)
- Often interpreted as "Oil-Presser" or "Calm-Faced Oil Spirit"
Origin
- Native to the Amakusa region of Kumamoto Prefecture.
- Said to haunt mountain paths and woodland trails, particularly those used by travelers and pilgrims.
Appearance
- Typically depicted as a humanoid spirit with a large, potato-shaped head and a blank or stern expression.
- Wears a simple robe or traditional garments.
- Some versions give him a stone-like head, smooth and featureless aside from deep-set eyes and a flat mouth.
Behavior
- Often appears silently beside travelers, especially those who walk the mountain passes at dusk or night.
- May startle or stare silently, but is not known to cause harm.
- Sometimes said to be the spirit of someone who stole oil in life—a serious crime when oil was a precious resource—and is now doomed to haunt the area as punishment.
Symbolism
- Represents karmic retribution for greed or theft.
- Also associated with the mysterious and sacred solitude of the mountains.
- Reflects the eerie stillness of nature and the ghostly silence of forgotten places.
Cultural Notes
- Popularized in modern times by illustrations in yōkai literature and children’s ghost stories.
- Frequently appears in Toriyama Sekien-inspired collections and manga about yōkai.
