Karakasa Kozo (Retired)

The Karakasa-Kozo is a spirit or ghost, in Japanese folklore, which enters an old umbrella and enjoys playing pranks on unsuspecting humans. The story goes that an umbrella that has served faithfully for 100 years will receive a soul and become sentient and animated, with one large staring eye, a long tongue, and hopping about on one leg where the handle used to be.

Karakasa-Kozo are mostly harmless and rather mischievous. They like to sneak up on humans in the rain to deliver a big, wet, oily lick with their enormous tongues and laugh when the humans are startled. It is said that on a windy day, the umbrella spirit will blow people off their feet, even up into the sky. Sometimes a Karakasa-Kozo becomes angry when it is tossed away thoughtlessly; To this day in Japan, ceremonies are performed to console a broken or unusable umbrella or other tool.

Folktales tell of the tsukumogami (which translates as tool spirits) that would enter many household tools such as boroboroton (a possessed futon) or ungaikyo (a possessed mirror).

Karakasa-Kozo are very popular with children who love to doodle and sketch the umbrella ghost. We think our adorable little OHM Karakasa-Kozo will be very popular on your bracelet too. But be warned: it might try to lick you.