Name Meaning
Kurage-no-hinotama (クラゲの火の玉) translates directly to "jellyfish fireball," reflecting its ghostly, glowing, floating appearance at night.
- Kurage = Jellyfish
- Hinotama = Fireball, will-o'-the-wisp
Origin
- Reported in coastal and fishing villages where eerie lights were spotted hovering over water.
- Linked to both natural phenomena and ghost sightings in local lore.
- Mentioned in Edo-period collections of strange sightings.
Appearance
- Glowing, translucent orb resembling a jellyfish.
- Appears to drift gently, undulating like it swims through air.
- Sometimes said to leave a faint trail or pulse of light.
Behavior & Myths
- Seen as a bad omen or sign of nearby death.
- Thought to be the soul of a drowned person or spirit of the sea.
- Disappears if approached, like other hitodama or atmospheric ghost lights.
Symbolism
- Represents ethereal beauty and the mystery of oceanic spirits.
- A visual metaphor for fleeting life and ghostly presence.
- Symbolic of unresolved death or tragedy at sea.
