A lone traveler walking down a remote alley at night hears loud footsteps echoing behind him. But when he stops to listen, the phantom footsteps also cease. He turns around to see who is following him, but there is no one to be seen. He continues his journey, only to hear the footsteps resuming, picking up the pace and drawing closer. It may be that he is being stalked by Betobeto-san, a shapeless yokai known to harass travelers at night. Although invisible, its presence is known by the “beto beto” sounds of its footsteps, resembling the clanking of wooden sandals on the stone pavement.
It can be quite alarming to encounter Betobeto-san, but there is a simple method to shake it off. All one needs to do is to step aside on the road and say, “After you, Betobeto-san.” Upon doing so, the footsteps will continue past the person and disappear once they are out of earshot.