This may in fact have happened to me ten days ago. I'm still sore. 

In Japanese folklore kama itachi is a yokai that in English translates as sickle weasel. They look like weasels with spiky fur and long razor sharp claws and appear riding on dust whirlwinds, sometimes barking like dogs. They move so fast that they become basically invisible. Kama itachi travel in groups of three to hunt. The first weasel knocks the victim to the ground, the second uses their sharp claws to slice out chunks of their flesh, and the third applies a healing remedy that mostly hides the damage. This all happens so quickly that the victim believes they simply tripped, fell and scratched themselves and they remain completely unaware that their flesh has been dinner for a kama itachi.

Certainly can't disprove it.... Via Curious Ordinary on BlueSky

 "A samurai looks on as a giant frog runs over the menials"

Found while scouring Wikimedia Commons. Colour woodcut by Kuniyoshi, 1847/1848. 

"Death"

From the depths of the land I watch
Strange hands stick out
Legs stick out
A head intrudes
Gentlemen
What in blazes
Is this goose before me?
From the depths of the land I watch
I make mouths
Hands stick out
Legs stick out
A head intrudes.

...

I don't get it either, but--for the record--this is not a Prawne family creation.

Kyoto, 1929.

And in the spirit of the season:

"If we could gather all electric eels from all around the world, we would be able to light up an unimaginably giant Christmas tree."

Thus far, they must settle for one eel and one standard Christmas tree.

Origins of the Japanese people and language by Jared Diamond. Interesting, and a nice summary. I didn't realize that linguists were classifying Japanese and Korean as far outliers of Altaic.

Via Megan McArdle.