I have lived in Hokkaido for ten years. A few days before the event, I visited Nibutani, a village where the Ainu people preserve their culture and traditions. An elder told me about Ke-saru, a spirit said to live deep in the forest and watch those who enter.
He explained,"Ke-saru doesn't chase people, but it watches carefully. If someone is careless or disrespectful, it takes more than just fear."
The name Ke-saru means"face peeler"in the Ainu language, referring to the spirit's dangerous nature toward those who show arrogance or disrespect in the forest.
Before I left, the elder taught me a prayer to say if I ever felt the spirit nearby,"Kamuy ceppesuy." This means,"Spirit, please return to your home." The Ainu believe that spirits called kamuy live in all parts of nature, animals, plants, rivers, and the wind.
While hiking alone in the Hidaka Mountains, the air suddenly became cold. All birds singing, wind rustling leaves stopped completely. Then, I saw a dark shape moving slowly between the trees. It was too large and moved too quietly to be a bear or any animal I know around.
At that moment, I felt a heavy pressure and had difficulty breathing. Remembering the elder's words, I whispered the prayer,"Kamuy ceppesuy."
For several seconds, the Shadow stayed still before silently disappearing into the darkness.
When I returned to Nibutani and told the elder what happened, he said, "It saw you. You are lucky it let you go."
Since then, I have avoided walking alone in that part of the forest. The silence and shadows are not just empty, they feel like something is watching.
Did I encounter the Ke-saru or can anyone explain what happened?
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