In the early decades of the 18th century; a man with a malleable head made a living as a popular sideshow attraction. It is said that he could collapse his head like a traditional paper lantern.

The Kaikidan Ekotoba is a mid-19th century handscroll that profiles 33 legendary monsters and human oddities; mostly from the Kyushu region of Japan; but with several from other countries; including China; Russia and Korea. The document; whose author is unknown; is in the possession of the Fukuoka City Museum.