Chikuri - チクリ - [Yokai]

 チクリ - “Chikuri”

•About this Yokai•

A mysterious yokai with a Geisha face attached to the body of a gigantic red scorpion. The name is an onomatopoeia literally meaning ‘Sting' or 'Stab.’

•History and Early Appearances•

The original was included in "妖怪尽くし絵巻" ["Yokai Zanshi Emaki"] - a picture scroll by an unknown author in the Showa period. 1929-1989, republished in the Yomato Koichi collection 2017.)  - Because the face seems to have been a collage made up from a different illustrations, it's believed that she's was likely drawn as part of the game of telling 100 ghost stories: “Hyakkumonogatari Kaidankai” - Sadly, no story was included with the scroll, its possible at one point in time people would know exactly what you were talking about from the illustration alone.

One popular theory is that since "Chikuri" is an Onomatopoeia for stabbing, it can also mean to “tell someone off” in other words she had a “personality that stings” – So perhaps the artist or storyteller was making fun of someone talkative. - Because there was no description included, we may never know the true nature of this yokai for sure.

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!