Wiki Category: Art

Himamushi-nyūdō Himamushi-nyūdō (火間蟲入道 – Firebug Monk) is a type of yōkai depicted in the Konjaku Hyakki Shūi by Toriyama Sekien. They are also called Himamushi-yonnyūdō. This creature is said to form from the spirits of people who had floated through their lives and wasted them, transforming after death. They are[...]

Hangonkō Hangonkō (返魂香 – Soul-returning Incense) is a type of yōkai depicted in the Konjaku Hyakki Shūi. This particular creature is a type of fictious incense that can conjur images of the dead in its smoke. The story related by Toriyama Sekien and this creature is that of the Chinese[...]

Period: Kamakura Period Occupation: Artist Family:- Birth: 1202AD Death: after 1221AD Fujiwara no Yukinaga Fujiwara no Yukinaga was a member of the Fujiwara clan living from 1202 to some time after 1221. During his lifetime he was a painter in the Yamato-e style and is thought to have perhaps illustrated[...]

Period: Kamakura Period Occupation: Painter, Monk Family: Fujiwara no Ienobu (father) Fujiwara no Takasuke (son) Birth: – Death: – Fujiwara no Nagataka Fujiwara no Nagataka was a member of the Fujiwara Clan living in the 13th Century. He was a painter in the Yamato-e style and was also a Buddhist[...]

Period: Heian Period Occupation: Artist Family: Fujiwara no Takayoshi (grandfather) Birth: 12th Century Death: – Tosa Tsunetaka Tosa Tsunetaka (土佐 行光), also known as Fujiwara no Tsunetaka (藤原 行光) was the grandson of Fujiwara no Takayoshi, living in the 12th Century. He also held the title of Gon no Kami.[...]

Ōkubi Ōkubi (大首 – Giant Head) is a type of Yōkai depicted in the Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki by Toriyama Sekien.  It is a giant head, with Sekien noting that anything in excess is scary, including the head of a woman with a caked black mouth. This creature may also[...]

Period: Kamakura Period Occupation: Painter Family: Birth: Death: 1187 Fujiwara no Mitsunaga Fujiwara no Mitsunaga, also known as Tokiwa Mitsunaga (常盤 光長) was a member of the Fujiwara Clan who died in 1187. He was a painter who was part of the Kasuga School. He is known to have illustrated[...]

Chōjū-jinbutsu-giga The Chōjū-jinbutsu-giga (鳥獣人物戯画 – Scrolls of Frolicking Animals) Chōjū-giga (鳥獣戯画) are a group of 4 emakimono scrolls with varying animal and human depictions, many of the animals having human characteristics. They are also notable as they contain no text.12 The scrolls measure 31cm high and are around 1 metre[...]

Yamata no Orochi Yamata no Orochi (ヤマタノオロチ, also 八岐大蛇 , 八俣遠呂智 or 八俣遠呂知, 大蛇) was a giant serpentine Dragon mentioned in the Shinto Mythologies in association with Susano-o. The Dragon and Susano-o can be found in old texts such as the Kojiki and Nihongi.12 The appaearance of the Dragon in[...]

Period: Muromachi Period Occupation: Painter Family: Birth: ? Death: ? Fujiwara no Gōshin Fujiwara no Gōshin (藤原 豪信?) was a member of the Fujiwara Clan living around the late 15th Century. He was born to a courtesan and a monk and became a painter of the Yamato-e style. One of[...]

Born: 1797 Died: 1858 Period: Edo Period Occupation: Ukiyo-e artist Utagawa Hiroshige Utagawa Hiroshige (歌川 広重) (1797-1858) was an Ukiyo-e artist who created the One Hundred Famous Views of Edo which includes depictions of the Yōkai‏‎ known as the Kitsune-bi due to their popularity.1 Footnotes 1. Yoda, H. and Alt,[...]

One Hundred Famous Views of Edo One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (名所江戸百景, Meisho Edo Hyakkei) is a publication of Ukiyo-e prints created by Utagawa Hiroshige. Within its pages, it includes only one image with a supernatural element, where a Kitsunebi is depicted.1 References 1. Yoda, H. and Alt, M. (2016)[...]

Born: 1831 Died: 1889 Period: Edo Period Occupation: Artist Kawanabe Kyōsai Kawanabe Kyōsai (河鍋 暁斎) (1831-1889) was a Ukiyo-e artists who was associated with the Utagawa School. As a great artist he created many striking portrayals of Yōkai and Yurei inspired by Toriyama Sekien.1 Footnotes 1. Yoda, H. and Alt,[...]

Birth: 1839 Death: 1902 Period: Edo Period Occupation: Artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (月岡 芳年) (1839-1902) was an Ukiyo-e artist who was associated with the Utagawa School. As a great artist he created many striking portrayals of Yōkai and Yurei inspired by Toriyama Sekien.1 Known Works Footnotes 1. Yoda, H.[...]

Utagawa School The Utagawa School (歌川派) was a school dedicated to Ukiyo-e prints, founded by Utagawa Toyoharu1 Members Kawanabe Kyōsai, 河鍋 暁斎. Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, 月岡 芳年. Utagawa Toyoharu, 歌川 豊春. Footnotes 1. Yoda, H. and Alt, M. (2016) “Japandemonium: Illustrated: The Yokai Encyclopaedia of Toriyama Sekien.”. New York: over Publications,[...]

Toriyamabiko The Toriyamabiko (鳥山彦 – Sekien’s Echoes) is an Art Book published in the Spring of 1774 by Toriyama Sekien, the title invoking the name of the Yōkai creature the Yamabiko. The book introduces the art style of fuki-bokashi, which allowed artists to more easily add color gradations to woodblock[...]

Born: c.1735 Died: 1814 Period: Edo Period Occupation: Artist (Ukiyo-e) Utagawa Toyoharu Utagawa Toyoharu (歌川 豊春) (c.1735-1814) was an apprentice of Toriyama Sekien. He founded the Utagawa School of Ukiyo-e prints and himself took on an apprentice called Utagawa Toyokuni.1 Footnotes 1. Yoda, H. and Alt, M. (2016) “Japandemonium: Illustrated:[...]