Tenjōname - 天井嘗 - [Yokai | Tsukumogami]

Tenjōname - 天井嘗 - Ceiling licker.

• About this yokai: a lanky Tsukumogami with thin paper-like hair (often said to be reminiscent of a paper duster or a firemans matoi.) it appears when nobody is around, especially in old places such as mansions or temples, it licks the ceiling with its long wet tongue, leaving dark, damp spots. Staining the ceiling & making the room feel cold. (It’s said that Ceiling mould, holes and mysterious wet spots were believed at one point to indicate a yokai presence (or some other sort of suspicious activity (such as murder.) - Modern ghost stories & some bestiary claim that catching a Tenjoname in the act at night, will cause you to die, other reports say that it causes faces to appear in the stains, leading to insanity.

• History & early appearances: Technically, this yokai's earliest named appearance is in Toriyama Sekiens "Hyakki tsurezure bukuro. (1779) - however, its design seems to be based off an earlier unnamed yokai from Hyakki Yagyo Emaki picture scrolls dating back to the Muromachi period (1333-1550s)

- interestingly, it’s the same nameless yokai of which my favorite yokai 'Isogashi' was also based! -

when that yokai was given the title "isogashi" in 1832's 百鬼夜行絵巻 (松井文庫) (Hyakki Yagyo Emaki (Matsui Bunko) The folklore would eventually split, and the two would come to be seen as different monsters.

[as it appears in Toriyama sekiens "Hyakki tsurezure bukuro. (1779) Sekien wrote about Tenjoname causing"cold and darkness" in the rooms it appears, rather than leaving stains. - Simply put, Old houses and Rooms with high ceilings were cold in winter and dimly lit.] The folklore about it licking the ceilings and leaving stains that cursed people & caused insanity was added much later!

• see also: Tenjo-Kudari, Isogashi

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! - PS: the plush in the fourth pic was a gift for me by @littleyokaigirl, its not for sale but please check out her work as well!! :)