Name Meaning
Nobusuma (のぶすま) is a yokai whose name has uncertain origins, but it's typically associated with eerie obstructions or flying creatures.
Origin
- Featured in Edo-period yokai emaki (picture scrolls).
- Appears in multiple regions with slightly different interpretations.
- Sometimes described as a transformed squirrel or fox.
Appearance
- Often illustrated as a large, shadowy creature with wings like a flying squirrel.
- Other accounts describe it as an invisible barrier or ghostly wall.
- Eyes may glow or be completely absent in drawings.
Behavior & Myths
- Blocks travelers’ paths or glides silently across roads and rooftops.
- Causes confusion and fear, sometimes immobilizing its victims.
- Some legends suggest exorcising it by calling out its name loudly.
Symbolism
- Represents disorientation, unseen fears, and the unknown.
- May be a metaphor for spiritual blockage or hesitance.
- Symbolic of natural or supernatural resistance during a journey.
