Mikoshi
Table of Contents
Mikoshi
The Mikoshi (見越 – Look Over Monk), also known as the Mikoshi-Nyūdo (見越入道) is a type of Yōkai depicted in the Gazu Hyakki Yagyo and the Hyakkai Zukan. The creature is said to sneak up on people in the mountains wanting to scare them. It is detailed in the Illustrated Sino Japanese Encyclopaedia of the Three Realms as being of dark complexion, with red eyes and yellow hair, reaching a height of 6 meters. Later depictions of this Yōkai depict them with necks of exaggerated length, with the earlier depictions representing him as more of a monk.1
The depiction in the Hyakki Zukan (below) shows an pale skinned, aged creature holding a walking stick and whose neck is not elongated.
Other Depictions
External Links
- View the Gazu Hyakki Yagyō online here: Gazu Hyakki Yagyō Online.
Footnotes
1. Yoda, H. and Alt, M. (2016) “Japandemonium: Illustrated: The Yokai Encyclopaedia of Toriyama Sekien.”. New York: over Publications, Inc.
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