Key Points

- Manifests as a red, disembodied hand of a small child descending from a Japanese honey locust tree.

Brief Bio 

In Japanese folklore, Akateko (赤手児) is a yokai (a supernatural creature) that appears as a disembodied red hand, often described as belonging to a child, hanging from a tree. It is primarily found in the folklore of Aomori, Fukushima, and Kagawa prefectures. While not typically harmful, encountering an Akateko can cause a sudden fever or even lead to tripping and falling.