Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: Katachinsharin, Kataringuruma, One-Wheeled Cart
Category: Flame
The Myth
Katasharin is a terrifying yōkai from Japanese folklore that appears as a single, burning wheel that rolls through the streets at night without anyone pulling it. Its wheel creaks as it moves through the darkness, and in some depictions, it bears the face of a woman. Other portrayals show it as a flaming wheel with a demonic face, making it a frightening sight for anyone who encounters it after nightfall.
The creature is said to have appeared in Shiga Prefecture long ago, racing through the streets at night with the sound of its wheel turning. According to the legend, children who see the one-wheeled apparition risk being carried away by it. Its sudden appearance and eerie creaking make it a feared nighttime presence, haunting roads and settlements as it rolls through the darkness.
Sources
“片車輪 [かたしゃりん] (Katasharin).” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). December 20, 2021. https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1079937491.html