Ayakashi
Ayakashi
Ayakashi (あやかし) is a type of yōkai depicted in the Konjaku Hyakki Shūi.
This particular creature is portrayed by Toriyama Sekien as a sea creature with long tentacles said to dwell in the ‘Wester Sea.’
The tentacles themselves are so long they would take two to three days to slither across the deck of a ship, and from them a kind of oil comes out.
If a ship and its crew wanted to survive they would have to bail constantly until the tentacles receed.
The creature is reminiscent of a similar creature called the Ikuchi.1
External Links
- View the book online here: Konjaku Hyakki Shūi Online.
Footnotes
1. Yoda, H. and Alt, M. (2016) “Japandemonium: Illustrated: The Yokai Encyclopaedia of Toriyama Sekien.”. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.
Check out the Japan Archives, our Japanese History Podcast. | ||
Check out our Gaming Channel on Youtube. | ||
Find the website useful? |