Amazake-babaa (甘酒婆, "amazakehag") oramazake banbā is an old womanyōkai from thefolklore ofMiyagi andAomori prefectures in Japan. She is rumored to come to the doors of houses late at night and call out “Might you have any amazake?" in a childlike voice, but if anyone answers they fall ill with eithersmallpox or thecommon cold. She was known as the goddess of smallpox in a time when smallpox ran rampant in Japan. It is said that to keep her away, a cedar branch is placed in the doorway. Mothers give offerings to amazake-babaa in order to prevent their children from falling ill. A key difference between Amazake-babaa and amazake banbā is that amazake banbā tries to sell amazake while Amazake-babaa asks if a person has any and a sign saying "we do not like sake or amazake" will keep amazake banbā away.
A similar creature is known as the amazake-banbaa in theYamanashi Prefecture. She tries to sell her sake and amazake door-to-door and will bring disease to those who answer. She will be repelled by a sign by the door that says "we do not like sake or amazake".[1][2]
In the Kohinata neighborhood ofBunkyo City,Tokyo, Amazake-babaa is not a supernatural being but a human being from the neighborhood, a local amazake-seller who died of a common cold and was posthumouslydeified as a protector of children against diseases. A statue of her was later erected by the abbot of Nichirin-ji Temple.
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