Zashiki warashi look like 5 or 6 year old children and are usually depicted as having bobbed hair and red faces. They inhabit well-maintained houses and are especially fond of large, old houses. They often play harmless pranks. For example, they might turn people's pillows over or make people hear music coming from unused rooms. They sometimes leave ashy footsteps all over the house. Usually, only one zashiki warashi will inhabit a house, although it's not unheard of for multiple zashiki warashi to live in the same house.

Despite all the mischief they cause, zashiki warashi are well worth having around because they bring good fortune to the entire family that lives in the house. Driving a zashiki warashi away from a house is said to cause bad luck.

In addition to bringing good luck, zashiki warashi can also be quite kind to the residents of the house when they want to be. For example, they will often befriend all of the children in the house and teach them songs, games, and nursery rhymes. Zashiki warashi also love keeping old or infertile couples company. These couples will often treat the zashiki warashi as if it were their own child.

In order to encourage a zashiki warashi to stay in a house, one must appreciate and care for it as if it were a human child. However, too much attention can also drive one away. In the hopes of attracting and keeping a zashiki warashi, families will lay coins in the foundation as they build a house. They will also carefully maintain their zashiki (a sitting room with tatami flooring) and set out food in the zashiki for the zashiki warashi. Zashiki warashi are especially likely to stay in a house if the residents leave them candies or treats.

FUN FACT: Accounts of who can see zashiki warashi vary. It is commonly said that only the family that lives in the house can see the zashiki warashi that also resides there. Some say that only the family's children can see the zashiki warashi.

Examples in various media:

Kiri Komori (Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei, Translation: Goodbye, Mr. Despair) Unlike most zashiki warashi, Kiri ends up living in a school instead of a house.

Yukari (Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan)

Nakai Chitose (Yuragi-sou no Yuuna-san)