The Street of Yokai
Meet Mizuki Shigeru’s characters in Tottori
Yokai — supernatural creatures and entities from Japanese folklore and legend — are popular with modern anime fans and mythology buffs.
Much of the world fame of these creatures is thanks to Mizuki Shigeru (1922–2015), a manga artist from the small town of Sakaiminato in Tottori, Japan’s most rural prefecture.
In his childhood, Mizuki heard numerous stories of yokai from Nononba, a local elderly woman. Later, after being conscripted into Japan’s army during World War II and losing an arm during his deployment, Mizuki used stories of yokai as well as nonfiction stories to promote pacifism and record the horrors of war.
One of Mizuki’s most famous works is a manga series called Gegege no Kitaro. The series follows a half-yokai, half-human boy who goes on supernatural adventures and tries to be a peacemaker between the human and yokai worlds.
Before publishing this manga, yokai were of little interest to the public and considered mere superstitions, but Kitaro renewed an interest in yokai that continues today.
Gegege no Kitaro has been adapted into anime several times (the most recent adaptation as of this writing first aired in 2018), and yokai or creatures inspired by yokai can be found throughout the anime and video games produced in Japan.
To honor Mizuki and his life’s work, his hometown Sakaiminato maintains a special memorial: Mizuki Shigeru Road.
A walk down supernatural lanes
Mizuki Shigeru Road is one of the most famous attractions in Sakaiminato.
While many people access it by car, one of the best ways to reach it is by train. In contrast to the typical local trains, those bound for Sakaiminato sport images of Kitaro and other characters.
The yokai appear as soon as one steps out of Sakaiminato Station. This is the starting point of Mizuki Shigeru Road. From here to the Mizuki Shigeru Museum, yokai are everywhere.
Yokai statues big and small line the street. Some of these are classic folkloric figures such as the gashadokuro, while others are original characters from Gegege no Kitaro. These original characters include Kitaro, Medamaoyaji (Kitaro’s dad, who is a sentient eyeball), and Cat Girl (Kitaro’s best friend).
This street also boasts souvenir shops and restaurants that sell yokai souvenirs, snacks and sweets inspired by Gegege no Kitaro, and Tottori’s local culinary specialties such as snow crab.
Look carefully, and you can discover side streets that offer play areas for kids and classic carnival games.
The fun doesn’t stop after the sun goes down either. From sunset until 10 pm, specially-made streetlights cast shadows of yokai all over the pavement, creating a unique illumination event.
Mizuki Shigeru Museum
The last stop on Mizuki Shigeru road is the museum dedicated to Mizuki’s life and work as a manga artist. Inside, exhibits on yokai, Mizuki’s world travels, and the numerous series he created besides Gegege no Kitaro await.
A small reading area also exists, offering everyone new to Mizuki’s work a chance to acquaint themselves. In addition to stories concerning yokai, other books by Mizuki include Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths, a semiautobiographical story of Mizuki’s time in the army.
Through this museum and the street outside, Mizuki’s lasting impact on his hometown, Japan, and the world is tangible.
