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Binbōgami (貧乏神 (びんぼうがみ) Binbōgami, lit. God of Poverty) is a god who brings poverty and misfortune to whoever he haunts.

Appearance[]

Binbōgami is an old man with a long thin face, shoulder-length gray hair, and eyes that have small black pupils. He wears a light green tattered kimono, with a rope tied around his waist, he also does not have any footwear and is carrying a a long wooden staff.

In the 1971 anime, Binbōgami has light blue skin, a curved nose, droopier eyes, and only one tooth.

In the 2018 anime, Binbōgami is an old man with a long thin face, pale skin, shoulder length gray hair and a few stubbles around his mouth. His eyes are sharp and have white sclerae with black pupils. His outfit consists of a faded brown tattered kimono, with a faded gray obi tied around his waist. He goes around barefoot and has wooden staff to help him walk.[1]

History[]

1971 Anime[]

1985 Anime[]

Binbōgami appears in the third adaptation as a semi-recurring ally, first appearing in episode #12, Zashiki-Warashi and Kasa-Jizō. He is first seen eating radishes left by an old couple whose house is shared with him, and is implied to have also eaten the rest of the food they made. He is later confronted by Zashiki-Warashi for making the couple's lives bad, but he stubbornly says he'll only leave once they run out of radishes. After Zashiki-Warashi tells the Kitarō Family, he gets lured outside with mochi and other foods, before being ambushed by Kitarō. After being questioned by the whole Kitarō Family, he runs away into the night. He is last seen hugging and chasing Nezumi-Otoko, asking if he could live with him. He reappears in episode #55, (Secret) Directive!! Nezumi-Otoko's Death. In this episode, he is reintroduced to Nezumi-Otoko as one of Yumeko's friends, though unlike the others, he just asked if he could live in his new house rather than trashing it. In episode #80, Yōkai Fukkeshi-Babaa Wrestling Hell, he attends a wrestling match between Kitarō and Tank Matsutake in Jigoku. Binbōgami last appears all the way forward in episode #108, Kitarō Family Forever. He is shown at the start as one of the many yōkai gathered by Nurarihyon to take down Kitarō.

2018 Anime[]

The Great Yōkai War: Guardians[]

Binbōgami appeared in the manga adaptation of the film.

Powers and Abilities[]

Binbōgami's powers

Binbōgami's powers

Misfortune Manipulation: Being a spirit of poverty, he is able to cause misfortune for the people of the home he inhabits, where his mere presence can bring them financial problems.[1]

Selective Invisibility: He can make himself invisible to those he chooses, especially those of the home he haunts. However, those who have experienced with yōkai activity can already see him. With enough focus, those who could not perceive him will be able to see him as well.[1]

Teleportation: He is able to appear somewhere at will, flashing quickly while doing so.[1]

Equipment[]

Wooden Staff: He carries around a wooden stand that he uses to help him in walking.[1]

Legend[]

Binbōgami illustration

Binbōgami illustration

Binbōgami is a deity that induces poverty in homes it inhabits. He resembles an emaciated old man wearing rags carrying an uchiwa fan and a kendama. He is said to enjoy miso, which can be used in a ritual to remove him from your home. Make fried rice and miso, place them on an oshiki board, take it out the back door and pour them into a nearby river. The smell of the miso will attract the Binbōgami and remove him from your home.

In 1821, a servant of an Edo samurai family that regularly suffered disasters went to Sōka on a business trip and encountered a priest. The servant asked where the monk came from, and he replied that he was going to the house the servant worked for. The servant told him that he had never seen him there before. To which the monk revealed that he was a Binbōgami and that he was responsible for all the illnesses and misfortunes that happened in the family and that the reason why the family had not fallen into ruin yet despite the misery they endured was because of the legacy of their ancestors. The Binbōgami then replied that he would be leaving the family as they had faced enough distress and that from now on, they would be blessed and no longer be in debt. After the servant and the Binbōgami parted ways, the servant finished his business and returned to the samurai residence where it soon gradually began to prosper, just as Binbōgami had said.

References[]

Navigation[]

v  e
1971 Series Yōkai and other Mystical Beings
Kitarō and Allies
Threats
Others
v  e
1985 Series Yōkai and other Mystical Beings
Kitarō and Allies
Threats
Jigoku
Others
v  e
2018 Series Yōkai and other Mystical Beings
Kitarō and Allies
Threats
Others