Abumi-guchi
In its own language: 鐙口
Japanese 鐙口, read as 'stirrup mouth'
A furry monster that forms from a stirrup left by a fallen soldier
In Japanese folklore the abumi-guchi is a furry monster that takes shape from a stirrup, usually one that belonged to a soldier killed in battle. It is counted among the tsukumogami, objects that come to life, and is said to stay at the spot where it was left, waiting for its owner to return.
- A yōkai classed among the tsukumogami, objects that take on a life of their own
- Its name, 鐙口, is read as 'stirrup mouth'
- Drawn and named in Sekien Toriyama's Gazu Hyakki Tsurezure Bukuro
- Formed from a stirrup, often one carried by a soldier killed in battle
- Is said to remain at that spot, expecting the dead soldier's return
What it is
The abumi-guchi is a creature of Japanese folklore. It is counted among the yōkai, the monsters and odd beings of that tradition, and more closely among the tsukumogami: objects that take on a life of their own. This one starts as a stirrup, the loop a rider's foot rests in, and the name says as much, since 鐙口 reads as 'stirrup mouth'. It is described as furry and strange in appearance. Its story is bound to one piece of riding gear and to the soldier who used it, and the creature is said to stay put rather than wander.
Where it comes from
The abumi-guchi reaches readers through the work of Sekien Toriyama, whose collection Gazu Hyakki Tsurezure Bukuro presents it among its pictures of monsters. That book is where the creature is drawn and named. It belongs to a broad class rather than to one shrine or local legend: the tsukumogami, beings that take shape out of ordinary objects. Inside that class this one is unusual in being tied to a person as well as a thing, a soldier killed in battle, and to the stirrup he left behind.
Abumi-guchi, drawn and placed
- Living
- Revived
- Fading
- Historical
- Legendary
- Performed
- Lineage
- Japanese yōkai; a tsukumogami, an object being
What people believe
The idea behind the abumi-guchi is that an object can outlast the person who used it and gain a character of its own. Japanese folklore groups such beings under the name tsukumogami, and this creature is one of them, made from a stirrup. Because that stirrup is said to have been carried by a soldier who died in battle, the creature is tied to him. It is a tale rather than a rite. What the tale holds is a bond that survives death, with the monster stationed where it was left, expecting its owner to come back.
Compare and confuse
The abumi-guchi belongs with the tsukumogami, the object-beings of Japanese folklore, and is related in that way to other monsters said to arise from everyday gear. Its name also appears in English as Abumi-kuchi, for instance in the Obakemono Project, an online collection of Japanese monster lore. The second part of the compound, kuchi, means mouth, which is why 鐙口 reads as stirrup mouth.
Questions people ask about Abumi-guchi
What is an abumi-guchi?
A being from Japanese folklore: a furry monster classed as a tsukumogami, meaning an object that has taken on a life of its own. This one is made from a stirrup, and its name, 鐙口, is read as 'stirrup mouth'.
Where does it come from?
From Japan. Its name and picture reach readers through Sekien Toriyama's collection Gazu Hyakki Tsurezure Bukuro, which records monsters of this kind among its illustrations of yōkai.
What is a tsukumogami?
A class of Japanese monster made from an everyday object that has come alive. The abumi-guchi is one example, formed from a stirrup. The term covers a broad group of such beings rather than a single creature.
Why is it said to stay in one place?
It is held to belong to a soldier who died in battle, and to remain at the place where the stirrup was left, expecting him to come back. That is how the story is told, not something anyone performs.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Abumi-guchi", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryJaadu rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Names and customs differ from one community to the next, and some knowledge is closed to outsiders and left out here. This page describes belief and practice. It does not say that any of it works, it is not a how-to, and it is not medical advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-20.
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