Tengu taxi – Tenguguruma – 大天狗, 朧車 – “kamikakushi” – [Yokai]

Description

Tengu-guruma  – “Tengu-Taxi”  – 大天狗, 朧車

•About this Yokai: 
A mysterious ox kart driven by a gigantic “Dai Tengu” 👺 – in historic literature & in museums it’s is often labeled as an “oboroguruma” – but i’d say that it’s pretty distinct from that particular yokai. – it appears frequently in old hyakki yagyo scrolls, but sadly it does not have a description, and nobody seems to knows for certain what it was supposed to be…

My theory: is that perhaps its an illustration of “kamikakushi” JP:神隠し (“mysterious kidnappings” or to be “Spirited Away” or “hidden by Kami” – Tengu where often blamed for such kidnappings after all!! And the surrounding yokai seem to play off the stories told by those who where kidnapped. – Then again, the lady yokai in the back does appear to be a yokai, so it could just as easily be an illustration of “lady aoi” just going for a ride (linking it back to oboroguruma) – A friend once told me a rumour that it could also be the “true leader” of the parade…

see also: Tengu, Hannya, Oboroguruma

Sticker Art by @Samkalensky (yo thats me!) – Part of my Night parade of 100 Demons – Yokai & Japanese folklore sticker collection, weather-resistant 6″ Glossy sticker. Check my shop & follow @samkalensky for many more!