

Information Romanized Betobeto-San Kana べとべとさん Meaning Mr. Clacking Sandals Sound Other names Bishagatsuku Type Unknown

Description

(べとべとさん,) is a yôkai that follows travellers at night, making the sound "beto beto" with its wooden sandals. It cannot be seen; only heard.

Betobeto-san is a formless specter, and is only recognizable by the telltale sound it makes – the “beto beto” sound of wooden sandals clacking on the ground.

People who walk the streets alone at night sometimes encounter this harmless but nonetheless disturbing yokai. It synchronizes its pace with walkers and follows them as long as it can, getting closer and closer with each step. For the victims, this can be quite traumatic. The haunting sound of footsteps follows them wherever they go, but every time they turn around to see what is following them, they find nothing.

Though Betobeto-san can be quite disconcerting, it is not dangerous. Once someone realizes he or she is being followed by Betobeto-san, simply stepping to the side of the road and saying, “After you, Betobeto-san,” is enough to escape from this yokai. The footsteps will carry on ahead and soon vanish from earshot, allowing the walker to continue in peace.

In northern Fukui, Betobeto-san which appear during cold winter sleet storms is known as Bishagatsuku. Its name comes from the “bisha bisha” sound its phantom feet make in the slush-filled streets.

The mangaka Mizuki Shigeru invented the form of the yôkai in one of his works, giving it a round body with a friendly smile.

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