Like other spirits that perpetrate domestic mischief, the tenjō-name appears at night or when noone is watching. Just as the aka-name is drawn to the filth of uncleaned bathrooms, the tenjō-name is attracted to unkempt ceilings, which it licks voraciously with its long tongue. It is suspected of being a very tall creature in order to reach the high places it seeks. Also like the aka-name, the tenjō-name's efforts are usually considered less than helpful - dark, dirty stains on the ceiling are often blamed on this creature's incessant licking.

The tenjō-name's tongue is not always thought to be so filthy, though. It is said that a samurai of Gunma Prefecture once caught a tenjō-name,,and put it to work cleaning the cobwebs off the high ceilings of the local castle¹.

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1. Mizuki 2001, pp. 79-80.