狸たぬき囃子ばやし

noun

tanuki belly-drumming; sound of tanuki drumming on their bellies

Folkloric term for the imagined sound of tanuki (raccoon dogs) drumming on their stomachs, often heard at night in rural areas. Sometimes used to refer to mysterious nighttime sounds whose source is unclear.

• 夜よ中なかに狸たぬき囃子ばやしが聞きこえてきた。

  In the middle of the night, we heard the sound of tanuki drumming.