Youkai (妖怪）are the pantheon of Japanese ghosts and are most popular at this time of year, late summer. Kumamoto has one which was first described in the late Meiji era: Amabie (アマビエ、甘老海), a three-legged youkai who lives in the sea off Shiranui. His (her?) appearance was accompanied by the sea lighting up - it may be that bioluminescence led to the tale - and was a harbinger (and as such doesn’t look scary) of a good harvest yet plague, which I guess resulted in much food with no one to eat it.
During this time of Covoid19, interest in Amabie has been renewed. One can now buy Amabie goods such as cell phone straps in the hope he (she?) will ward off illness. Below are a few images of him (her?). - William