Yōkai: Ghosts & Demons of Japan

Dec 8, 2019 through Nov 5, 2023

Vivid in Japanese art and imagination are creatures that are at once ghastly and comical. Yōkai is a catchall word that generally refers to demons, ghosts, shapeshifters, and “strange” and supernatural beings. Yōkai  are prevalent in Japanese popular and expressive culture; you find them in manga (comics), anime (animation), and character-based games such as Pokémon (“pocket monster”).

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'White Hannya' Nōh Mask

'Yugao' from The Tale Of Genji. Woodblock print from the series, One Hundred Aspects of the Moon.

Tengu Toy Figures (Kokeshi)

Netsuke in the form of a Demon

“Actor Onoe Waichi II as a Tôfu Boy and a One-Legged Ghost, from the series Magic Lantern Slides in a Dance of Seven Changes.” Woodblock Print

Namahage festival costume

Ema (votive offering) with image of an Oni

Boy’s Miyamairi Ceremonial Kimono with Depictions of Momotaro and Defeated Demons

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