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Zashiki-warashi's Real Name: Zashiki-bokko, kura-warashi and other Tōhoku names
folklore
Zashiki-warashi (座敷童子) 本名: Zashiki-bokko, kura-warashi and other Tōhoku names (座敷ぼっこ・蔵ぼっこ)
Answer: Zashiki-warashi (座敷童子) is a child spirit of northeastern Japan said to bring luck to a house. Local names include zashiki-bokko and kura-bokko.
Folklore label: legend, not history.
The zashiki-warashi is said to live in the tatami rooms (zashiki) of old houses in the Tōhoku region, especially Iwate Prefecture. It appears as a small child with a bob haircut, plays pranks, and brings good fortune; when it leaves, the family's luck is said to fall.
The spirit became widely known through Kunio Yanagita's Tōno Monogatari (The Legends of Tōno, 1910), a collection of folk tales from Tōno, Iwate. Local names vary: ザシキボッコ (zashiki-bokko), クラボッコ (kura-bokko, a storehouse version), and others.
Some inns in Iwate are famous for claimed sightings and attract visitors hoping for luck.
FAQ
Where does the zashiki-warashi come from? Folklore of the Tōhoku region, especially Iwate Prefecture.
What book made zashiki-warashi famous? Kunio Yanagita's Tōno Monogatari (1910).