In Japanese folklore, a floating ball of fire from a human soul is called a hitodama.
The word hitodama combines terms meaning human and spirit or soul. Hitodama are commonly described as small, glowing balls that float through the air, especially near cemeteries or at night. Traditional accounts often connect them with the souls of recently dead people.
They are sometimes depicted with a trailing flame, though their appearance varies across regional stories and artistic representations. Hitodama should be distinguished from onibi, another Japanese ghost light often associated with the atmosphere, corpses, or supernatural places.
Modern explanations have proposed natural phenomena such as phosphorescent gases, bioluminescence, or visual misperception, but folklore identification and scientific explanation are separate questions. A hitodama is a cultural figure, not a confirmed biological entity.