Wiki Category: Wakan Sansai Zue

Tōdaiki Tōdaiki (灯台鬼 – Candle Stick Demon) is a type of yōkai depicted in the Konjaku Hyakki Shūi. This tale can be found in the Wakan Sansai Zue. This creature was made after Minister Karu (軽大臣) was sent to China as an envoy. Once he was there he was poisoned by[...]

Ninmenju Ninmenju (人面樹 – Human-faced tree) is a type of yōkai depicted in the Konjaku Hyakki Shūi. This creature is said to live in valleys and take the form of human heads growing on a tree. They do not speak but laugh constantly, their laughter causing them to fall from[...]

Amanozako Amanozako (天逆毎 – Heaven Opposes All) is a type of Yōkai depicted in the Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki by Toriyama Sekien. She was born from Susano-o after his chest filled with rage and he expelled it. And she herself had a child through virgin birth called Amanosaku. Her appearance[...]

Mōryō Mōryō (魍魎) is a type of Yōkai depicted in the Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki by Toriyama Sekien. The creature has many differing origins depending on the source consulted. Sekien uses the origins mentioned in the Wakan Sansai Zue which says this creature is a water kami the size of[...]

Suiko Suiko (水虎 – Water Tiger) is a type of Yōkai depicted in the Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki and the Wakan Sansai Zue, it’s home is said to be the Sushui River in China. This creature has the shape of a small child, and resembles a pangolin, with knees that[...]

Hiderigami The Hiderigami (魃 – Drought Bringer), also known as the Kanbo (旱母 – Drought Mother) is a type of Yōkai depicted in the Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki and the Wakan Sansai Zue. It’s home is said to be on Mount Ganshan in China. According to sources, it has the body of a beast but[...]

Sansei Sansei (山精 – Mountain Spirit) is a type of Yōkai depicted in the Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki and the Wakan Sansai Zue. It is stated as a type of mountain Oni, dwelling in Anguo, China. The creature is humanoid in appearance, but only has one leg. The Wakan Sansai[...]

Mikoshi The Mikoshi (見越 – Look Over Monk), also known as the Mikoshi-Nyūdo (見越入道) is a type of Yōkai depicted in the Gazu Hyakki Yagyo and the Hyakkai Zukan. The creature is said to sneak up on people in the mountains wanting to scare them. It is detailed in the[...]

Ubume The Ubume (産女) is a Yōkai depicted in the Gazu Hyakki Yagyō by Toriyama Sekien. Sekien`s rendering utilizes the Kanji for the creature from the 1712 Wakan Sansai Zue, which describes the creature as a type of bird, capable of transforming into the guise of a woman who would[...]

Tenasobi The Tenasobi, also known as a Marten is a type of Yōkai depicted in the Gazu Hyakki Yagyō. In Toriyama Sekien’s depiction of the creature, he provides the reading of ‘Marten’ though it is written with the Kanji Character for Itachi. The creature is known to have been a[...]

Period: Edo Period Occupation: Dentist, Author, Artist Birth: – Death: Terajima Ryōan Terajima Ryōan (寺島良安) was an Osaka Dentist but also was the creator of the Wakan Sansai Zue which would later greatly inspire Toriyama Sekien in his depictions of Yōkai. He spent years cataloguing Chinese information on astronomy, botany,[...]

Wakan Sansai Zue The Wakan Sansai Zue (和漢三才図会 – Illustrated Sino-Japanese Encyclopedia of the Three Realms) was published around 1712, and created by Terajima Ryōan. Toriyama Sekien was greatly inspired by this book for his Yōkai.1 Yōkai mentioned in the book include: Amanozako – Describes her appearance as a mix[...]

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[...]

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[...]