Supernatural Scrolls
Exploring the spooky Japanese art that has recorded the surreal world of yōkai for centuries, from woodblock to celluloid…
Most children in the west know what fairies and goblins — even vampires and werewolves — are. They’ll even have a general idea of what they look like and how they may behave. There’s little need for detailed descriptions and explanations. Well, that’s how it is for Japanese children and yōkai. Indeed, fairies, goblins, vampires, and werewolves would all come under the umbrella term… as would umbrellas!
Just as with fairies, there’s an immense variety of yōkai and their tales are inextricably woven into the cultural history of Japan just as Grimm’s fairy tales, regional folklore, and ghost stories are in Europe’s heritage. So, that’s a good way into the general concept — a starting point from which to explore the more intricate subtleties.
The origins of yōkai folklore are lost in the mists of time and draw together threads from across Asia, but it was during the Edo Period that telling tales of yōkai became an increasingly popular pastime among the cultured elite. They would hold ‘gatherings of 100 supernatural tales’ (hyakumonogatari kaidankai) to exchange spooky stories. These events — perfectly suited for a Halloween party — involved the lighting of…
