Chin Chin Kobakama – ちんちん小袴 – [Yokai | Tsukumogami]

Description

Chin Chin Kobakama – JP: ちんちん小袴 – [yokai/tsukumogami]

•About this yokai: The ChinChin Kobakama are an army of tiny 1″ warriors made from discarded toothpicks come to life… The toothpicks had become angry at a housewife for being lazy and sticking them into a Tatami Mat, rather than discarding them properly. They take their revenge by keeping her awake every night during the hour of the Ox (1-3AM) – They chanted in a mocking tone:

“We are the Chin-chin Kobakama; the hour is late; sleep, honorable noble darling!”

•History: The Chin Chin Kobakama are featured in a late 1800’s fairy tale which was published in a 1903 book by Lafcadio Hearn. – in the story he calls them “Fairies of the Floor mat.” The book also mentions a similar story where instead of toothpick samurai, they’re ladies and are made of discarded plumb pits instead. – You can read the full book & story on Archive.org

This 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!

• My take: I wanted to give it a hand crafted look (because toothpicks) – so it’s Supposed to look like he was put together like an arts and crafts project. So, Rather than giving it a human face, instead I drew a “Henohenomoheji へのへのもへじ” – [An ACII-like face often used to represent nondescript or generic human faces; commonly used on scarecrows, teru teru bozu, etc.) it’s probably an example of one of the earliest ‘kaomoji’ ヽ( `д´*) ] – Though its pretty plain/generic its also a “hard to read expression” so it that can feel pretty intimidating if you had a lot of them together in one place (think like a warehouse full of mannequins for instance, there’s an unsettling, uncanny valley feeling.)