Aoandon (青行燈)

Name Meaning

Overview

Aoandon (青行燈) means “blue andon lantern.” This ghostly spirit is said to appear when the final story in a Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai (100 Ghost Stories) session is told, under the eerie glow of a blue paper lantern.

• Ao (青) = Blue
• Andon (行燈) = Paper Lantern → “Blue Lantern Spirit”

Origin

• Linked to the Edo-period game **Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai**, where people would gather to tell ghost stories by lantern light.
• Aoandon would appear after the final story, emerging from the shadows as the spiritual embodiment of collective fear.

Appearance

• A ghostly woman with **blue-tinged skin**, wearing a **white burial kimono**.
• Sharp horns, black hair, and terrifying eyes glowing in the lantern’s light.
• Appears beneath or near a glowing **blue paper lantern**.

Behavior

• Appears as a culmination of fear, stories, and supernatural belief.
• In some legends, **frightens or curses** those who summoned her through ghost stories.
• Mostly used today as a symbolic or theatrical character in yokai-themed events and literature.

Symbolism

• Represents the **power of storytelling** and collective superstition.
• Serves as a warning about invoking fear carelessly.
• Now a popular character in yōkai art and cosplay, often seen during Obon or Halloween.