Hikeshi Baba

Hikeshi Baba is a type of hag from Japanese folklore and like many such beings is envisioned as a supernatural being with the appearance of a withered old woman, while many types of hags exist in Japanese folklore each one has a particular function and few are benevolent, as is the case with most cultures most hags in Japanese folklore are wicked or troublesome spirits and the Hikeshi Baba is no exception.

Hikeshi Baba is said to travel from home to home at night, extinguishing any lantern light she comes across so as to bring cold and gloom to the world, as she finds light and comfort to be disagreeable - she much prefers a dark, gloomy world and while her actions seem harmless enough she is actually trying to make the world more habitable for malicious yokai and oni, who dislike light and comfort.