Toriyama Sekien

• • Birth: 1712
  • Death: 1788
  • Period: Edo Period
  • Occupation: Artist

Toriyama Sekien

Toriyama Sekien (鳥山 石燕) was born 1712 and died 1788. Most notably known for his four compendiums on the yōkai he was the first person to systematically categorise them.

He was born Sano Toyofusa and was part of the Obōzu. When he came of age he inherited the title of Obōzu, though it is unsure what he did with the title. During his life he was never recognised as a Kanō-ha (Kanō Painter).

Later in his career he took many apprentices, several becoming well-renowned artists later in their lives, including Utagawa Toyoharu and Kitagawa Utamaro.

In 1773 he published the Toriyamabiko.

His yōkai works were greatly inspired by the 10th Century Demon Horde’s Night Parade (Hyakki Yagyō), but his first compendium was also inspired by the hyakkai zukan. Other inspirations were the wakan sansai zue.

He is most notably works on Yōkai are:

• • Gazu Hyakki Yagyō, 1776.
  • Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki, 1779.
  • Konjaku Hyakki Shūi, 1781.
  • Hyakki Tsurezure Bukuro, 1784.¹

Footnotes

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

	Check out the Japan Archives, our Japanese History Podcast. Instagram (Japan): @japan_archives
	Check out our Gaming Channel on Youtube. Instagram (Minecraft): @mycenria
	Find the website useful? Please consider donating to help up keep the website running.