Matsutake sensei – 松茸の化物 – [Yokai]

Description

•About this Yokai:

“Matsutake monster” 松茸の化物 – Affectionately known by fans as “matsutake sensei”  is a yokai that appears in “Kaidan mame ningyo” 怪談豆人形 (or “Ghostly Tales: The Bean Puppets.”) (Written by Bunkeido, and by Torii Seikei 1780s) – its a story book manga about a group of tiny soy bean sized monsters who travel around Japan in search of “Ghost training” because they want to become the “scariest monsters.” 

But the poor puppets are overwhelmed by the sheer size of everything and end up being bullied by the older generation of monsters. [One scene has them cleaning gunk out of the larger yokai’s ears.] They aren’t taken seriously by their fellow Yokai. –Worse yet, in their attempts to scare the humans, they get used like toy puppets by the local kids! – During their quest: they wander to a certain pine tree grove in Miho no Matsubara, where they meet a Matsutake mushroom monster: the Matsutake is the only one of the mainland creatures that’s actually kind to them in their quest: it gives them some quick advice:

“So, you’re too small to scare people yeah?” – “ʏᴇssɪʀ!” – “Well, go to Hakone to become apprentices to the mountain monsters, good luck!”

Sadly, the mountain monsters also reject the tiny beans ( in some tellings, squish them. (I swear he meant well!!) Because the main characters in the story are the size of soy beans: we can assume that Matsutake is actually just a regular sized mushroom. (and probably not actually a giant!)

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!