Kazenbō

The Kazenbō are ghostly yokai from Japan whose name means “monk in the flames.” They’re believed to haunt Kyōto around the mountain Toribeyama which has been a gravesite for centuries. In the 10th century, it is said several monks offered themselves up to sacrifice by burning themselves alive. They hoped to achieve enlightenment by burning away their ties to the material world and did so with public viewing. It turned out that these monks were not pure enough for enlightenment, and as such their tormented spirits now appear wreathed in the flames symbolizing their sins. They bring no harm but may appear suddenly in front of travelers while writhing in agony which is very disturbing to the witness, before suddenly disappearing.

Citations:

Meyer, Matthew. The Book of the Hakutaku: A Bestiary of Japanese Monsters. United States, Matthew Meyer, 2019.