Satori

Satori

The Satori (覚) is a is a type of Yōkai depicted in the Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki by Toriyama Sekien. It is said to be a ‘kaku‘ which dwell in the mountains of Hida and Mino Provinces.

The ‘kaku‘ is short for ‘kakuen‘ which is a legendary type of over-sized ape with a lifespan reaching into centuries.

Their bodies are shown to be covered in long, dark hair and additionally, they have the ability to talk to humans and read our minds. Due to this if someone wished to cause them harm, they will sense this and flee. They also take care to not harm humans.

The Kanji utilized in the name of Satori means ‘enlightenment’ and perhaps is due to their mind reading abilities.¹

External Links

• View the Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki online here: Konjaku Online.

Footnotes

1. Yoda, H. and Alt, M. (2016) “Japandemonium: Illustrated: The Yokai Encyclopaedia of Toriyama Sekien.”. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.

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