April 2021 - Yokai Toons

Yakubyōgami, Yokai

Yonaki-babā the Contagious Crying Carrier

Are there nights when you cried for no reason? No memories of sorrow. No feelings of grief. No stench of oninons. And yet you wailed puddles of tears all through the night. Certainly, this is the works of a yokai. One that makes others weep and cry. Undoubtedly, the yokai is yonaki-babā. She is the contagious crying carrier.

When you first meet yonaki-babā, you will think nothing of it. Because you see only a typical old woman weeping. Her hair is unruly and unkempt. She sits by the street wailing her heart out. The old woman cries out loud in front of a house, late at night.

But if you listen carefully, you hear the people in the house, also wailing. Furthermore, they do not know why they are crying out loud. These are the signs that you are in the presence of yonaki-babā. The yokai that makes everyone cry.

Repeat Offender

Typically, yonaki-babā are harmless. She usually cries for night and then moves away. Never to be seen again, ever. But there are tales of yonaki-babā returning night after night. As such, the whole household continues to be sad for weeks on end. This cause a lot of confusion and the inhabitants may become very depressed. Thus, eventually real sorrow enters the household. Which in turn affects their daily life and routine, forcing the family into ruins.

In fact, Koichi Yumoto (湯本豪一) groups yonaki-babā under a class of yokai that spreads misfortune. A malevolent group known as yakubyō gami (疫病神). Therefore, yonaki-babā is not only a contagious crying carrier. But she can also brings misfortune and ruin to households all around Japan.

Conclusion

So, when you are walking home late at night, be aware. Be careful of the lamenting old woman by the street. Especially one that is crying just outside your apartment. If you do see yonaki-babā near your place, better to stay away. Knowing why you cry is certainly better than crying for no reason.

Yokai Details

name: yonaki-babā ( yoh-nah-key-bah-baa )
kanji: 夜泣き婆 (よなきばばあ)
meaning: weeping hag of the night
abilities:
1. crying inducement — able to make others weep or cry

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Onryō, Suijin, Yokai

Funayūrei Army of Undead Drowners

Funayūrei and their army of undead drowners

People of Japan have strong roots in its lands and the seas around it. As such, there are an abundance of yokai relaated to thesea. Some of them are benevolent, such as amabie. Alternatively, there are large monsters that cause seaquakes and tsunami,such as umibōzu. As for today, we are discussing the later. Yokai that is feared by all fishermen and seamen. One that known as funayūrei and their army of undead drowners.

Funayūrei are vengeful sea wraiths. They are the spirits of those who died at sea. Spirits who died at sea battles. Souls swallowed by huge waves and typhoons. As such, their numbers are in the millions. As many legends say, seeing funayūrei at sea is certain death. When you see one, others will follow.

Hunderd Ways to Die

These creatures of malevolence goal is to sink all ships they meet. And they may sink them in various ways. For example, funayūrei may ask for a bamboo ladle called hishaku (柄杓). And then fill the boat with sea water using the asked hishaku.

Alternatively, during heavy fogs, they may push the ships into cliffs or large rocks. In rare instances, funayūrei are large ghost ships that simply ram into unsuspecting seafarers. Not unlike the Flying Ducthman. No matter the method, one thing is for certain, funayūrei aim to increase their army of undead drowners.

Be Prepared

Nonetheless, these spiteful wraiths can be appeased. The simplest method is throwing onigiri into the sea. Alternatively, in Kōzushima, they throw dango, flowers and incense. Another common method is to prepare a bottomless hishaku so that it cannot carry water. But of course, this works only if they ask for one.

Yokai Details

name: funayūrei ( foo-nah-you-ray-ee )
kanji: 船幽霊 or 舟幽霊 (ふなゆうれい)
aka: akayashi (アヤカシ) in Saga & Yamguchi prefecture
meaning: boat spirit
abilities:
1. incorporeal beings — cannot be touched or physically attacked
2. calling — call forth other funayurei from anywhere
3. mass manipulation — able to change its size and mass

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Tsukumogami, Yokai

Chokuboron Wandered Everywhere Aimlessly

Last weekend, I stayed home and watched the late night Japanese variety show. When drinking alone, I liked to set up half a dozen choko (saké cups) and fill them to the brim. Everytime I laughed, I chugged a cup and then overturned the choko. Once all the choko are empty, I reset and refilled the sake. I drank so much that I slept at the table. Later that night, I awoke to clattering. And then, I saw my upturned choko moving across the floor. Surely, I had seen a chokuboron. But it was going everywhere and nowhere. It just wandered everywhere aimlessly.

Chokuboron is a type of yokai known as tsukumogami. They evolved from 100-year old saké cups known as choko. Especially, those used as offerings to the dead. After evolution, chokuboron adopted a behaviour similar to the vagabond. As such, they wandered around like lost melancholic souls.

Appearance

Consequently, chokuboron is called as such because the looked like komusō (虚無僧), the travelling monks. Instead of a full face straw hat (tengai), the tsukumogami wears a choko on its head. Although fully covered, they are able to move around easily. Also, chokuboron play traditional bamboo flutes called shakuhachi. They play haunting songs that evoke fear. Melodies of nightmares.

But, unlike most yokai, chokuboron is a very small yokai. It is as tall as a typical coffee mug. Even then, they wore small monk attire and straw sandals. Interestingly, when you looked at them they moved ever so slowly and deliberately. But once you blinked, the chokuboron would have move a great distance whence you last saw it. Intriguing, but at the same time, terrifying.

Conclusion

As such, chokuboron are difficult to find. They treasure their vagabond spirit. They have been seen all across Japan, from a small bar at Kabuchiko to a shrine on Mount Asahi (旭岳). But none have been caught. All eyewitness accounts describe their erratic movements. Although, Chokuboron are inherently harmless, by all accounts. But, do they really wander everywhere aimlessly? Or are we too oblivious to understand?

Yokai Details

name: chokuboron ( cho-koo-boh-ron )
kanji: 船幽霊 (ちょくぼろん)
meaning: cup monk
abilities:
1. unseen speed — when unobserved, it moves extremely fast
2. death song — plays melody that relieve your death experiences

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Bōzu, Yokai

Tōfukozō the Original Vegan of Edo

Boy in gaudy kimono offering a one-eyed tofu.

Just like the human world, the realm of yokai have a status hierarchy system. The strong and powerful sits at the top of the food chain. Of course, these yokai are able to cause misery and chaos nationwide. For example, the legendary Yamata-no-Orochi who can bring earthquakes and floods on a whim. On the other hand, there are low-class yokai at the very bottom of the pyramid. They serve and attends to other yokai. Moreover, some are also subservient to humans. Today, we study one of these feeble yokai. We present to you tōfukozō the original vegan of Edo.

Tōfukozō is well-known all across Japan. Although, they may not be as popular as kappa and tanuki. But, tōfukozō is the definitely the most well-liked yokai. They are mild-mannered and gracious to the humans they meet. In fact, they are frequently featured in kaidan story compilations and kibyōshi picture books of the Edo period.

Appearance

Tōfukozō is often depicted as a yound boy carrying a plate of tofu. A yokai boy who brings protein rich food to their masters. Also, he wears gaudy clothes printed with auspicious patterns. As such, encounters with tōfukozō bring good luck and ward diseases away.

Interestingly, tōfukozō delivers a unique tofu known momiji-dofu. It is a specialty of Sakai City (堺市), Izumi province. The tofu has the autumn maple leaf imprinted on it. Evidently, the tofu brings good health and luck for those who eat them.

Although tōfukozō are often seen human-like, some have depicted them with monster features. For example, some have one large eye instead of the usual, and more comforting, two. Sometimes, tōfukozō walk bare-footed with two-clawed feet. Nonetheless, they always carry their precious tofu and offering them to strangers. Tōfukozō is the original vegan of Edo.

Conclusion

Although tōfukozō is depicted as a servant-type yokai, little else is known. Legends say that the momiji-dofu regenegates one’s health and spiritual enegery. In contrast, some believe that the tofu was once human. Now cursed to be fed to tōfukozō‘s master. While others surmised, it was a ploy to promote eating tofu when meat proteins were scarce. Whatever it maybe, we may never know. But if you do happen to meet tōfukozō, accept their tofu graciously. Share your food. Or else, you will be cursed into a tofu!

Yokai Details

name: tōfukozō ( toh-foo-koh-zoh )
kanji: 豆腐小僧 (とうふこぞう)
meaning: tofu boy
abilities:
1. tofu manipulation — able to create, shape and manipulate any type of tofu
2. tofu animation — power to bestow some sentience to tofu

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