Photograph thanks to Jennifer Shue
CONTRIBUTED BY MEREDITH NOVARIO
Kijimuna, these are my friends.
Friends, this is Kijimuna.
species: fairy, sprite, goblin family
gender: male & female
age: greater than three but less than ten
origin: Okinawa
hang-out: banyan trees
hair & face color: red
likes: fishing and eating the left eye of his/her catch
dislikes: octopus and people who pass gas on their backs
signature move: paralyzing people while they sleep aka kaneshibari
Okay, so I can not prove that a single piece of this is true. But some of it might be true. Google tells me so. And surely this is a better story than you’ve come up with on your own about these munchkins.
If you have facts or more fiction, speak now.
We picked up a children’s book from Amazon with a story about them – http://www.amazon.com/Kijimuna-Bilingual-Mariko-Uehara-Roland/dp/1466344997/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1355724904&sr=8-4&keywords=shisa+okinawa
he also follows me?? ^^
hey im in usa but i have a kijimunaa here i only see him when im waking up. he has red hair BRIGHT blue eyes and wore a blue type of kimono?? im not from japan but ive seen this little stinker twice already. once in my old motel and at my aunts house. he was eatin my taco shells 😛 how did he get waaay over here?????
You might find some info on this site
http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/Okinawa/Camp-Kinser/blog-287249.html
I’m interested on fairytale of kijimuna. do you know where do I can found the complete story? thanks
I had heard that this was their little man of mischeif. Like a little elf or leprechaun to us. Never heard anything like your facts. Very interesting!
I have seen these guys all over in the 5 years we have been on this island. Some of them mark the path to the Ryukyu Mura but personally, I always thought they looked like red Smurfs….I have heard the Kaneshibari story before, but didn’t know they were referencing these characters…interesting.
I don’t promise my sources are reliable just colorful. But really, who WOULD be okay with someone passing gas on their back?
The sleep paralysis comes up over and over with credit to these creatures. Seems like their claim to fame. So they aren’t as cute and cuddly as they seem, those rascals.
Seriously?? I’ve seen them everywhere but have had no clue who/what they are… your info sounded pretty good until the “pass gas on their backs” part which is just too weird! 🙂