Narigama - なりがま (鳴釜) - [Yokai | Tsukumogami]

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Narigama - なりがま（鳴釜）- [Tsukumogami | Yokai]

• About this yokai: Narigama are Tsukumogami of old iron kama (Iron stove pots, usually used for cooking rice.) - Often said to be able to predict the future when it rings(perhaps related to the "Cauldron Ritual" of Okayama's Kibitsu shrine.) - [Nobody is 100% certain if it is a Tsukumogami cauldron, or if its just a monster with a cauldron stuck on its head, i wonder how it looks underneath.]

• History & Early Appearances:

At its root: This yokai appears (as with the others, unamed) in a lot of the oldest Hyakki Yagyo Emaki picture scrolls dating back to the Muromachi period (1333-1573). it appears hunched over, holding reeds of some sort, and walking among the other tsukumogami in the procession. [it should be noted that there is a similar iron pot in the parade as well, typically just a couple yokai behind him, this is a different less talked about Yokai & a different type of iron pot all together, the two should not be confused. (Though, together they make a full kitchen unit!!)]

In Gazu Hyakki Treasure Bukuro (百器徒然袋) [1781]: Toriyama Sekien gave Narigama a name and description relating it to old demon quelling customs originating from china. - Sekiens yokai appears in a traditional kitchen, venerating an "Ema" (a wooden plaque, left at shrines, used for writing wishes/prayers) it features a bird (often said to be a rooster or hen, the iconography is supposed to help ward house fires & quiet crying children) [it's probably also worth note that in the book, this yokai is preceeded by Gotoku Neko: the trivet cat who is lighting a fire.]

[an old iron, kamado stovetop.]

This yokai is often theorized to be based on the "Narukama ritual" (Also known as the "Kibitsu Cauldoron Ritual".) a custom of Okayama Prefectures Kibitsu shrine. The ritual is essentially a form of divination which uses the sound of the sound of water being boiled to predict fortunes. (it seems the ritual & legends relating to it would have been quite popular around the time this yokai was drawn on the original Emaki scrolls as well so its a likely origin.)

[priests performing the ritual: img source]

It's a popular iconic yokai even today, (it even has action figures made of it) - The mystery is perhaps in its face, making it an iconic yokai for any collection.

Sticker Art by @Samkalensky (yo thats me!) - Part of my Night parade of 100 Demons - Yokai & Japanese folklore sticker collection, weather-resistant 4" Glossy sticker. Check my shop & follow @samkalensky for many more!

Back to Gazu Hyakki Yagyō [1776-1784] (画図百鬼夜行)

Narigama - なりがま (鳴釜) - [Yokai | Tsukumogami]

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