Exhibition Outline

Encompassing the spectrum of specters, ghosts, monsters, and apparitions, yōkai are the embodiment of both the uneasiness and fear felt toward the spirit world as well as the sense of affection toward the "strangely familiar" that Japanese have felt since ancient times. The depictions of yōkai in their myriad forms as are seen in Night Parade of a Hundred Demons images, for example, may appear eerily uncanny at first, but in fact they are truly charming.

In Japanese painting, the demons and ghosts that inhabit the spirit world first appear on the scene in the late Heian period, during the 12th century. For instance, demons appear in large numbers in works from the end of the Heian period into the Kamakura period, such as the National Treasure Extermination of Evil scroll depicting various deities driving away malevolent spirits, and the National Treasure Six Realms Pictures that depict the levels of Buddhist hells. Such artworks are the source images that gave birth to yōkai, which appeared on the scene in the medieval period. With works such as the Important Cultural Property Tale of the Giant Earth Spider, with its timid yōkai whose expression draws on our sympathies, or the Scroll of Household Objects Transformed, in which old domestic wares come to life as yōkai, the relatability and charm of these creatures becomes more pronounced. In addition, Muromachi-period works such as the Important Cultural Property Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, which depicts comical demons strutting around the capital, or Edo-period images, such as Katsushika Hokusai’s One Hundred Ghost Stories and Utagawa Kuniyoshi’s The Ruined Palace at Sōma, had a major impact on later generations.

This exhibition introduces yōkai, which have been so beloved by the Japanese since ancient times, and explores their development as "manifestations of human anxiety surrounding the spirit world" through a range of first-class artworks. These include National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, from Jōmon-period clay figurines to Heian and Kamakura period pictures of Hell and medieval illustrated handscrolls, Edo-period ukiyo-e, and even the present-day "Yōkai Watch" video game series. It will serve as the definitive word on yōkai from an art historical perspective, distinguishing itself from conventional yōkai exhibitions that until now have placed a heavy emphasis on folklore studies.