and sub rosa reblog
‘Bakemono Zukushi’ monster scroll
The Bakemono Zukushi handscroll, painted in the Edo period (18th-19th century) by an unknown artist, depicts 24 traditional monsters that once used to spook the people of Japan.
Oyajirome (親白眼) has a bulging eye on the back of its head and a claw on its one-fingered hand.
Daichiuchi (大地打) is a mallet-wielding monster with a bird-like face.
Dōmo-kōmo (どうもこうも) is a two-headed creature with gray skin.
Sara-hebi (さら蛇) is a large, snake-like creature with the head of a woman.
Mi-no-kedachi (身の毛立) has a coat of body hair that stands on end.
Nobusuma (のぶすま) has a brown body, human-like face, spiky hair, claws, and sharp black teeth.
Uma-shika (馬鹿) is a horse-like monster with a horn on its head and a single bulging eye.
Hajikkaki (はぢっかき) has a round white body with short arms and legs.
Odoroshi (おどろし) is a red-faced monster with big eyes, black teeth, and long hair.
Yume-no-seirei (“dream ghost” – 夢の精霊) appears as a thin old man in a white robe.
Yamamba (山姥) is a mountain hag.
Rokurokubi (ろくろくび), a long-necked woman, is pictured next to an Inugami (犬神) dog spirit.
Boukon (亡魂), a departed soul, appears to have pale blue skin, long hair, and a distended belly.
Ushi-oni (牛鬼) is a sea monster with the head of a cow and the body of a giant spider or crab.
Yamawaro (山童) is a one-eyed kappa-like creature found in the mountains.
Buraribi (ぶらり火) is a white, bird-like creature surrounded by ghostly flames.
Uwan (うわん) is a creature that inhabits abandoned buildings.
Akashita (“red tongue” – 赤舌) is a hairy-faced creature that hides in a dark cloud.
Yuki-onna (“snow woman” – 雪女) appears on snowy nights as a beautiful woman with long hair.
Nekomata (猫また) cat demon plays the shamisen next to a kitsune (狐) fox spirit.
Kami-kiri (“hair cutter” – 髪切) are known for sneaking up on people and cutting off their hair.
[Via: International Research Center for Japanese Studies - Yokai Database]
Read the original post on Pink Tentacle
This entry was posted by one of one hundred trained flying monkeys employed to retrieve items from The Net with brass and steam powered prosthetic limbs on Saturday, June 26th, 2010 at 9:45 pm and is filed here to tease your curious mind. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response below, or trackback from your own site.
7 Reader Comments (Reply Now)
June 26th, 2010
@ 10:39 pm
Another place to find some of these characters are in the films of Kurosawa, like “Dreams”.
June 26th, 2010
@ 10:53 pm
Wow, these are great. Such a shame nobody knows who actually created them. You can definitely see the influences that affected Miyazaki’s interpretations of Japanese folklore, especially in ‘Spirited Away’. No Face looks very much like a cross between のぶすま, はじっかき and ぼうこん.
Great find!
June 26th, 2010
@ 11:25 pm
The kanji for uma-shika (馬鹿) is the same as the kanji for “baka” (idiot). There’s probably some reason for that…
June 27th, 2010
@ 12:07 am
Amazing and totally stylish…
where the hell do you get all those great pics… ?
June 27th, 2010
@ 12:57 am
[...] Via the amazing Pink Tentacle: The Bakemono Zukushi handscroll, painted in the Edo period (18th-19th century) by an unknown artist, depicts 24 traditional monsters that once used to spook the people of Japan. [...]
June 27th, 2010
@ 1:39 am
Yah, Burari-bi looks totally stoked! Like it got ripped directly from a Tootsie-roll commercial from the 70s.
June 27th, 2010
@ 2:09 am
Some of these guys look so happy, haha. Akashita and Burari-bi look like they’re going “YAY!”