Kiritarō 霧太郎

Kiritarō (霧太郎), the “Mist Boy,” is a legendary “Yōjutsushi” (sorcerer) known for his mastery over the elements of shadow and vapor—a figure who could disappear into thin air and leave his enemies chasing phantoms.

Meaning and Origin

The name is derived from Kiri (霧 - mist/fog) and Tarō (a common name for an eldest son).

His origin lies in the semi-mythical tales of the Tengu-Trained Warriors of the Edo period. Unlike heroes who used physical strength, Kiritarō was said to have been a “Temple Boy” who wandered into the deep forests of Mount Kurama. There, he was taken in by a Daitengu (Greater Tengu) and taught the “Secret Art of the Hidden Cloud.” This wasn’t just ninja stealth; it was true sorcery. He represents the Illusory Nature of Reality—the belief that the world is as fragile and shifting as the morning fog.

Characteristics

Kiritarō is often depicted as a youthful, agile man wearing a short traveler’s cloak and a conical straw hat. He is almost always shown holding a small searchlight or a magical lantern that emits a pale, unnatural glow.

His defining characteristic is his Invisibility. He doesn’t just hide; he physically turns his body into mist. He can move through solid walls, vanish from the center of a battlefield, and appear behind his foes in an instant. This “Vapor Magic” made him a legendary figure for any story involving a daring prison break or a high-stakes heist. His personality is usually described as “playful but dangerous”—he rarely kills his opponents, preferring to confuse and humiliate them until they give up.

Legends

The most famous legend of Kiritarō is the “Escape from the Iron Box.” A corrupt Shōgun, fearful of Kiritarō’s magic, built a room made of solid iron with no windows and only a single, heavy door. He trapped Kiritarō inside and threw away the key, boasting that “even the wind cannot escape this box.”

The next morning, the Shōgun entered the room only to find his own prized collection of swords missing, and a small puddle of dew on the floor. Kiritarō had turned himself into a fine mist, slipped through the microscopic gaps in the iron door, and taken the swords as a “tax” for his imprisonment. The legend is a favorite among the common people of Japan, symbolizing the idea that freedom is a force of nature that no walls—no matter how thick—can ever truly contained.