Abura-sumashi

Abura-sumashi (油すまし^?, "Oil Presser") is a creature from the folklore^{[citation needed]} of Amakusa in Kumamoto prefecture.^{[citation needed]}

This spirit, which surprises people on the Kusazumigoe mountain pass,^{[citation needed]} is thought to be the ghost of a human who stole oil.^{[citation needed]}

In the days before electricity, oil was a very valuable commodity, necessary for lighting and heating a house. As such, the theft of oil, particularly from temples and shrines, could lead to punishment via reincarnation as a yōkai.^{[citation needed]}

In modern media the abura-sumashi is often depicted as, "a squat creature with a straw-coat covered body and a potato-like or stony head,"^{[citation needed]} an appearance inspired by the artwork of Shigeru Mizuki.^{[citation needed]}

Kumamoto Prefecture (熊本県 Kumamoto-ken^?) is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyushu Island.^[1] The capital is the city of Kumamoto.^[2]