Ashiarai Yashiki

In Japanese folklore there was a strange phenomenon known as ashiarai yashiki, which translates as 'foot washing manor'. It was reported that a giant, hairy, bloody, disembodied foot crashed through the roof of a manor house one evening demanding in a loud booming voice to be washed. The terrified residents within quickly obeyed, grabbing buckets and water and washing the food clean. At this point it lifted up through the manor's roof and disappeared.

'Ashiarai Yashiki' - Utagawa Kuniteru

Each night the foot returned to be washed, and then disappeared once it was clean. One night the samurai who lived in the house was fed up with this annoyance and told the servants not to wash the foot. So when the foot later arrived and no-one washed it, it began thrashing around in rage, destroying half the roof. At this point the samurai thought his only option was to move to another house, which he did. Despite someone else then staying at the manor, the foot never returned. 

Oliver Renomeron

It was never determined exactly what was behind this most peculiar visitation, but as with a lot of unexplained yokai phenomena in Japan, some suggested that it may have been the work of a mischievous tanuki.