kinoko; mountain-dwelling demon resembling a child
A yōkai from Japanese folklore, said to live in the mountains and appear as a child-like creature. The term is also a homophone for 'mushroom' (茸), but this word refers specifically to the supernatural being.
Old tales tell of encounters with a kinoko deep in the mountains.
The kinoko is said to look like a child but is actually a fearsome yōkai.
The term is composed of 木 (tree) and 子 (child), literally 'tree child', reflecting its folkloric depiction as a child-like spirit of the mountains. The exact origin is uncertain, but it is part of traditional Japanese yōkai lore.