Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: かえんそ, 火炎鼠, Flame Rat
Category: Rat
The Myth
The Kaenso is a terrifying supernatural creature whose body burns with flames. Its most distinctive and frightening ability is to spew countless rats from its charred mouth, unleashing swarms of rodents to attack people.
According to legend, anyone who kills a rat will become a Kaenso after death. This curse transforms the rat-killer into a fiery monster, condemned to spread terror through the same creatures they once killed.
The Kaenso combines the destructive power of fire with the unsettling image of endless rats pouring from a monstrous mouth. Its appearance evokes a creature consumed by flames, while its ability to unleash swarms of rodents makes it a particularly disturbing yokai.
A similar creature, the Nezumi Onna, or “Rat Woman,” is described as possessing nearly identical characteristics. Both figures are associated with the terrifying image of supernatural beings that spew countless rats from their mouths.
Sources
“Kaenso.” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1077180999.html