Amazake-babaa
A yōkai who brings disease to those who answer her call.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Amazake-babaa, also known as the 'amazake hag,' is a yōkai from the folklore of Miyagi and Aomori prefectures in Japan. She is a supernatural old woman who appears late at night, calling out in a childlike voice to ask if anyone has amazake, a sweet fermented rice drink. Those who answer her call fall ill with smallpox or the common cold, and she was regarded as the goddess of smallpox during times when the disease was rampant.
- type
- Yōkai (supernatural being)
- origin
- Miyagi and Aomori prefectures, Japan
- known_for
- Bringing smallpox or colds to those who answer her door at night
- associated_disease
- Smallpox, common cold
- repellent
- Cedar branch placed in doorway
- alternative_name
- Amazake banbā
Lore & Background
Amazake-babaa is a figure from Japanese folklore, specifically from the Miyagi and Aomori prefectures. She is described as an old woman yōkai who visits houses late at night, calling out in a childlike voice, 'Might you have any amazake?' If anyone responds, they fall ill with either smallpox or the common cold. In a time when smallpox was widespread, she was known as the goddess of smallpox. To keep her away, a cedar branch is placed in the doorway, and mothers offer gifts to her to protect their children from illness.
Reader's Guide
Amazake-babaa holds significance as a folkloric embodiment of disease, particularly smallpox, which ravaged Japan historically. Her dual nature—as a bringer of illness and, in some traditions, a protector of children—reflects the complex role of yōkai in Japanese culture, where they often serve as both warnings and objects of appeasement. The practice of placing a cedar branch in the doorway or offering gifts to her illustrates how folklore provided practical rituals to cope with epidemics. The variation in her portrayal across regions—from a supernatural hag to a deified human seller—highlights how local beliefs adapt to explain and manage health crises. Her legacy persists in the Kohinata neighborhood, where her statue stands as a tangible link between folklore and community history. This entry underscores the importance of oral traditions in shaping responses to disease, and the enduring power of such figures to convey cultural values about illness, protection, and the supernatural.
Did You Know?
- Amazake-babaa is known as the goddess of smallpox in Japanese folklore.
- A cedar branch placed in the doorway is said to keep Amazake-babaa away.
- In the Kohinata neighborhood of Bunkyo City, Tokyo, she was a human amazake-seller deified after death.
- A sign saying 'we do not like sake or amazake' repels the variant amazake banbā.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Amazake-babaa?
She is a yōkai—a supernatural old woman from Japanese folklore—known for haunting doorways late at night. She is also called the 'amazake hag' or 'Amazake banbā.'
What does Amazake-babaa do to people?
She calls out in a childlike voice asking if anyone has amazake, a sweet fermented rice drink. Anyone who responds to her at night falls sick with smallpox or the common cold.
How can you ward off Amazake-babaa?
Folklore says placing a cedar branch in your doorway keeps her from approaching. This was the traditional protective measure in the regions where she was feared.
Where does Amazake-babaa come from?
She originates from the oral traditions of Miyagi and Aomori prefectures in northern Japan. She is classified as a yōkai, a supernatural being in Japanese mythology.
Why was Amazake-babaa considered a goddess?
During periods when smallpox was widespread, communities regarded her as the deity responsible for the disease. This reflected how people personified the source of an epidemic as a divine or supernatural force.
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