Zashiki Warashi: The Invisible Guest

It begins with small, unexplained movements—a cup that shifts on the table, a sliding door that opens on its own. Then come the sounds—soft footsteps echoing through empty hallways, quiet laughter in the dead of night. You never see the child… but you feel its presence. You are not alone. This is the legend of Zashiki Warashi, Japan’s ghostly child spirit. Unlike most supernatural beings, these yōkai are neither purely good nor evil. They choose the homes they inhabit—and their presence determines whether fortune or ruin follows.