Name Meaning
Nando-baba (納戸婆) translates to “storeroom old woman.” She is a yokai who hides in nooks and dark spaces, particularly in unused rooms or storerooms.
- Nando (納戸) = Storeroom
- Baba (婆) = Old woman
Origin
- Appears in rural Japanese folklore as a type of domestic yokai.
- Serves as a cautionary tale for children to stay out of dark or forbidden rooms.
- Linked to superstitions about forgotten or spiritually “stale” spaces in a home.
Appearance
- Depicted as an eerie, hunched old woman with unkempt hair.
- Often emerges from shadows or behind piles of stored belongings.
- May carry a lantern or appear partially translucent.
Behavior & Myths
- Lurks silently in storage spaces and startles those who enter.
- Some tales claim she whispers or breathes on intruders' necks.
- Sometimes said to punish those who disrespect sacred or disused areas.
Symbolism
- Symbolizes the fear of forgotten spaces and unseen dangers at home.
- Represents the boundary between domestic safety and the supernatural unknown.
- Her legend reinforces traditional respect for space and cleanliness.
