Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: Hanattara-shishi,洟垂獅
Category: Lion
The Myth
The Hanattara Shishi is a strange lion-like creature with an otherwise ordinary lion’s body and face, distinguished by an enormous nose. From both nostrils, thick blue mucus streams down like that of a small child with a runny nose, giving the beast a childish and comical appearance.
The creature inhabits the Boy’s Country, an island nation encountered by the fisherman Musō Byōe during his fantastical journey through distant lands. In this peculiar country, everyone lives their entire lives as children, and childish behavior fills the land. The Hanattara Shishi appears among the unusual creatures associated with this strange island, reflecting its inhabitants’ perpetual immaturity.
Sources
“Hanatarashishi.” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1061090453.html