Yamawarawa
Table of Contents
Yamawarawa
The Yamawarawa (山童, Mountain Boy) is a type of Yōkai also know as the Yamawaro.
The creature finds its origins in China in the 2nd Century Shenji Jing (Classic of Divine Marvels), first introduced into Japan in the Wakan Sansai Zue which gives the older name Yamawaro. The books depicts the creature as a ten year old boy who is capable of human speech and who has a taste for crab meat.
Toriyama Sekien in his Gazu Hyakki Yagyō adopts the alternate spelling of Yama-warawa, depicting the creature with only one eye.1 It can also be seen in the Hyakkai Zukan also only having one eye.
Other Depictions
Art by Utagawa Kuniyoshi | Art by Utagawa Yoshitsuya |
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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