Betobeto-san is a kind of Japanese yokai, and is said to follow people walking on the night road
Betobeto-san is described as having a transparent body, except for its feet wearing getas which is visible. Even though it's said to be transparent, Betobeto-san is always depicted with a smile wide from ear to ear. But no one has heard this youkai laugh, people only mention its footsteps that always follow closely
Betobeto-san is said to appear a lot in Nara, in the Kinki region of Japan. However, similar cases were found all over Japan, and since then Betobeto-san is said to be present all over Japan.
If you've ever been walking at night and heard strange footsteps behind you, and turned around, you found nothing behind but the footsteps still circled around you, scaring you, you've met a yokai in the district Nara, Betobeto-san. It is said that if you stand on the side of the road and say "betobeto-san, please go first" the footsteps will stop and you can continue walking in peace.
If you happen to catch Betobeto-san's eye and it keeps stalking you, don't panic, just stand to the side of the road and say "Betobeto-san, sake e okoshi", which means is “Betobeto-san, please go ahead”, then the footsteps will stop and you can continue walking in peace.
In addition, there is another legend about Betobeto-san. One day, there was a man walking alone in the dead of night, holding a lantern. As he was walking, he heard footsteps behind him. When he said "Betobeto-san, please go first", a voice replied, "It's too dark, I can't go first."
“Then,” said the man, “take my lantern and use it.”
So Betobeto-san borrowed that person's lantern and went ahead. The next day, the lantern was returned to the man's house. The behavior is mysterious, always causing people to have terrible obsessions, but Betobeto-san is very loved. Not only carved and displayed in Sakaiminato city, Betobeto-san's image is also shown on many other unique products.
📚 Explore more of the Mystical Creatures series here: Dive into the Enchanted Realms of Mythology
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