SHUTO TORI

Lore

Shuto Tori literally means "the bird that steals sake," and it is usually regarded as a nuisance. According to legend, the yokai first appeared in the village of Matsue (now part of Yonago City in Tottori Prefecture), where a prosperous bachelor farmer named Kinjiro always kept a generous supply of rice wine at home. One day, while the master was away, the Shuto Tori slipped into the house, pulled a bottle and a cup from a cabinet, and then-still gripping them in its talons-flew off to its nest. An eyewitness described the creature as eagle-sized, yet shaped more like a gigantic chicken. The tales emphasize the paradoxical beauty of its plumage, but the most striking feature is its attire: elements of aristocratic dress-billowing hakama trousers and a formal court cap called a kanmuri.

If we look at its nature, the Shuto Tori is driven by one overwhelming urge-its thirst for alcohol. To get sake it shows remarkable cunning and watchfulness, waiting until the owners are gone and then unerringly finding its favorite drink. Such calculated behavior points to a craftiness far beyond that of any ordinary bird. When discovered, it avoids confrontation, relying on speed and maneuverability to flee; no attacks on humans have ever been recorded, and even when drunk the creature shows no aggression. Its physical strength seems suited only to its mischief, not to fighting. The yokai's chief weakness, however, springs from the very vice that moves it: once it has downed the stolen sake, it becomes drunk almost immediately and loses the ability to fly. In one story the bird was found unconscious, sleeping off its binge after emptying a bottle.

The simplest way to catch the creature, then, is to find it while it is intoxicated. Its vivid feathers make prized trophies, valued as a rare decorative material.