yokainokaigi-blog

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Yokai Street in Kyoto, known formally as Taishogun Shopping Street. Nestled near Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, this narrow street is lined with shops, cafes, and stalls, each decked out with quirky yokai-themed decorations.

Many of the decorations pay homage to well-known yokai, like Kappa, Tengu, and Rokurokubi, with hand-crafted sculptures, masks, and paintings.

Legend has it that this street lies on the ancient "demon's path" and may even be the route of the Hyakki Yagyo, the infamous "Parade of One Hundred Demons." In this supernatural procession, yokai of all kinds march through the streets, a fearsome spectacle where humans would wisely avoid crossing paths.

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Blossoming heart.

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going to become a “90s anime aesthetic” artist but instead of sailor moon these will be the 90s anime

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GeGeGe no Kitarō - Shigeru Mizuki

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The Wonder Shop, a treasure trove of Yokai themed items for sale- Kyoto, Japan.

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Yokai: The Art of Shigeru Mizuki. Published 10/31/2023 by Drawn & Quarterly.

Shigeru Mizuki is no stranger to the supernatural and its portents. Kitaro and Tono Monogatari reimagined the obscure folktales of his youth, bringing them to life with whimsy. Mizuki the cartoonist certainly left an indelible mark on comics as world literature. Mizuki the fine artist, on the other hand, rounds out the full scope of his fascination with the otherworldly and fantastic, bringing these worlds to life in robust color.

Yokai: The Art of Shigeru Mizuki showcases his expertise of not only folklore, but celebrates him as a naturalist. Elements of Mizuki’s lush compositions—flora, fauna, and everything in between—showcase his mastery of form and love for nature. These popular renderings of a disappearing, rural Japan are his contribution to the preservation of a cultural heritage that would have otherwise been forgotten. The grotesque realism central to his body of work is offset by the ingenuity of his fancy for the macabre. Pieces in this deluxe, full-color edition call to mind the playful pop-sensibility of Maurice Sendak informed by the technical prowess of traditionalists like Dürer and Doré. And like any other Mizuki classic, each oeuvre is a unique snapshot of spirit, human or otherwise, in constant transition.

Yokai: The Art of Shigeru Mizuki includes supplementary writing by acclaimed Mizuki scholar and translator Zack Davisson.

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a mummified hand of a Kappa sits inside a temple dedicated to these legendary yokai in the Kappabashi Dori area- Sogenji Temple, Tokyo Japan

Sōgenji Temple (Kappa-Dera)

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河童の池 - Kappa Pond🌿🐢 The first time I saw a kappa was in Gintama. I only realize later, that they are a yokai and belong to Japanese mythology. Where did you encounter your first Kappa?

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Some Japanese yōkai coffee labels done for Nishimuki!

This brief was so fun! Kappa are found in rivers and akaname thrive in dirty, cluttered areas of houses licking grime off things. So best to keep our rivers clean and our homes a little less clean to give these beings space to live!

Can confirm the coffee is delicious too <3

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My interpretation of Kitaro's mother before the melting disease got her.

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A Tengu guards the entrance of a Yokai exhibition of historical Japanese Art- Bologna, Italy.

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kappa sketches!

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Found the first episode of Hakaba Kitaro (2001 version!) Highlights include Daddy Eyeball’s face rotting before your very eyes and Kitaro having his house built in a giant pile of human skulls instead of Gegege Forest!

Now to find the other 5 episodes…

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Some designs from one of the Kitaro-themed pachinko games. My thoughts:

1. You can see original/diseased Daddy Eyeball’s face!

2. Kitaro’s design is mostly unchanged but his hair is silver/white and his missing eye is more visible.

3. Nekomusume, Iwako, regular Daddy Eyeball and Mizuki look mostly the same. Mizuki’s stray hairs are a little bigger and more prominent, which I like! He looks a bit more cartoony and it makes him fit in more with the other characters. Iwako’s hair is lighter to match her son’s.

4. Anyone else think that Ratman looks out of place? His eyeshape and clothes make him look more like 2007!Ratman than Hakaba!Ratman.

It’s not just me, right? I don’t know how he ended up in the Hakaba Kitaro universe but he looks like he needs to be returned to Yokai Alley before he goes completely insane lol.

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“Screw Halloween!” lmao

imo this was a perfect episode. I loved the humor and all the characters’ relationships with one another- Kitaro and Agnes, Nekomusume and Mana and even Nekomusume and Ratman.