Tsururebi – [yokai]

Description

• Tsurube-bi – 釣瓶火 – “Well Bucket Fire” – [ Yokai ]

• About this Yokai: A mysterious cold flame that drops down and dangles from pine trees like a well bucket, it bobs up and down in a teardrop shape. Most often said to appear the Shikoku and Kyushu regions and thought to be either a type of Tree Spirit (or “Kodama“) or otherwise said to be the same or a similar yokai as Tsurube-Otoshi (a malicious gigantic severed head which drops from trees to squish you!) Faces of humans or beasts sometimes appear within the cackling flame, however, Tsurube-bi is not dangerous at all, their flame does not burn and it is mostly considered an benign, atmospheric light, bobbing in the wind…

• History, Early appearances: Tsurure-bi makes its earliest appearance in the Edo periods  “Kokon Hyakumonogatari Hyōban” (古今百物語評判) by Yamaoka Genrin, 1686. – A collection of Kaidan (mysterious tales) – On the opposite page, This phenomena is labelled as “Nishioka no Tsurube-otoshi” – The author states that the glow is the result of “Ki” (energy/spirit.) leaving large old trees on rainy evenings.

[as it appears in Kokon Hyakumonogatari Hyōban” (古今百物語評判) by Yamaoka Genrin, 1686.]

Much later, in “Gazu Hyakki Yagyo” [1776] Toriyama Sekien illustrated & renamed the phenomena as “Tsurure-bi” he did not leave a description, but it seems that the name stuck. – For more fireball yokai from Sekien, check out Korokas bio!

[Gazu Hyakki Yagyo” [1776] by Toriyama Sekien]

[Art Sticker by @samkalensky part of my night parade of 100 yokai sticker series. follow and support for many more]