Oshiroibaba

Oshiroibaba (白粉婆 – Face Powder Hag) is a type of yōkai depicted in the Konjaku Hyakki Shūi.

This creature is said to be the handmaiden of the kami for beni and oshiroi (lipstick and facepowder) by the name of Jifun-senjō.

In his depiction of this creature Sekien partly quotes a proverb here which goes as follows:

“There’s nothing scarier than a woman’s appearance in the December moonlight.”¹

External Links

• View the book online here: Konjaku Hyakki Shūi Online.

Footnotes

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

List of Supernatural Creatures

Abura akago * Aka Manto * Akaname * Akashita * Amanozako * Amefuri Kozo * Ameonna * Amikiri * Aoandō * Aōbozu * Aonyobo * Aosagi no hi * Ayakashi * Buruburu * Chochin bi * Dōjōji no kane * Dōmeki * Dorotabō * Enenra * Funa Yurei * Furaribi * Fūri * Furutsubaki no rei * Gaikotsu * Ganbari Nyudo * Gagoze * Gangikozō * Gensuke * Haka no hi * Hangonkō * Hannya * Hashi-Hime * Hatahiro * Hiderigami * Hikeshi baba * Himamushi-nyūdō * Hinode * Hitodama * Hitotsume Kozō * Hiyoribo * Hōkō * Hone Onna * Hyōsube * Ikiryō * Inugami * Jakotsubaba * Jatai * Jorōgumo * Kamaitachi * Kamikiri * Kanedama * Kageonna * Kappa * Kasha * Katawa Guruma * Kawa Akago * Kawauso * Kazenbō * Kidōmaru * Kitsunebi * Kejoro * Kerakeraonna * Kodama * Kokuribaba * Kosamebō * Kosode no te * Kosenjo no hi * Kurozuka * Makurageishi * Mikoshi * Minobi * Momiji-gari * Momonjii * Morinji no Kama * Nekomata * Ningyo * Ninmenju * Noderabō * Nopperabo * Nuppeppō * Nurarihyon * Nureonna * Nuribotoke * Nyūnai Suzume * Obariyon * Oboro-guruma * Ōkaburo * Ōkubi * Okiku * Ōmagatoki * Oni * Onihitokuchi * Onmoraki * Osakabe * Oshiroibaba * Otoroshi * Ouni * Ōzatō * Rokurokubi * Sakabashira * Samebito * Sansei * Sarakozoe * Satori * Sesshō-seki * Seta * Shinkirō * Shirachigo * Shiranui * Shōkera * Shokuin * Shuten-dōji * Sōgenbi * Suiko * Takaonna * Tamamo-no-mae * Tanuki * Tenasobi * Tenjō-Kudari * Tengu * Tengu Tsubute * Tenome * Teratsutsuki * Tesso * Tōdaiki * Tōfu Kozō * Tsurubebi * Ubagabi * Ubume * Umibozū * Umizatō * Ushinotoki-mairi * Ushioni * Uwan * Waira * Wani * Wanyudo * Yamabiko * Yamauba * Yamawarawa * Yanari * Yukionna * Zenki and Goki

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Konjaku Hyakki Shūi

Konjaku Hyakki Shūi (今昔百鬼拾遺 – More of the Demon Horde from Past and Present) is a compendium of Yōkai, demons and ghosts compiled by Toriyama Sekien, published in 1780/81.

The books were inspired by the 10th Century Demon Horde’s Night Parade. These books, alongside the previous book, the Gazu Hyakki Yagyō, Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki and the following book, the Hyakki Tsurezure Bukuro are different to earlier depictions of Yōkai as they place the Yōkai in a time and a place instead of just depicting them on a blank background.

This book was created as a set with the Gazu Hyakki Yagyō though they weren’t released together. The book was divided into three sections and contains 50 different Yōkai.¹

Introduction

The introduction of the book reads:

Let us consider the kindly hermit, the artist Sekien. He’s a gentle and refined sort, a successful gardener who dug deep to find a spring to feed his pond. He listens for the warblers in spring and savors cool river-waters in the summer, watching the flower petals drift in the fall and the birds flock in winter. Whatever the season, he immerses himself in pleasures, seemingly unaware of old age setting in. When he encounters one of similar tastes he delightedly puts on tea and throws himself into a discussion of art. And when he starts drawing, he’ll quickly turn out more than a hundred in a sitting.¹

Part One – Cloud – 雲

Shinkirō	Shokuin
Ninmenju	Ningyo
Hangonkō	Hōkō
Tengutsubute	Dōjōji-no-kane
Tōdaiki	Dorotabō
Kokuribaba	Oshiroibaba
Jakotsubaba	Kageonna
Kerakeraonna	Enenra

Part 2 – Mist – 霧

Momiji-gari	Oboro-guruma
Kazenbōl	Minobi
Aoandō	Ameonna
Kosamebō	Gangikozō
Ayakashi	Kidōmaru
Onihitokuchi	Jatai
Kosode no te	Hatahiro
Ōzatō	Himamushi-nyūdō
Sesshō-seki	Fūri
Morinji no Kama

Part 3 – Rain – 雨

Rashōmon no oni	Yonaki no ishi
Bashō no sei	Suzuri no tamashii
Byōbunozoki	Keukegen
Mokumokuren	Kyōkotsu
Mekurabe	Ushirogami
Iyaya	Hōsōshi
Takirei-ō	Hakutaku
Kakurezato

External Links

• View the book online here: Konjaku Hyakki Shūi Online.

Footnotes

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