YarikeCho – [Yokai|Tsukumogami]

Description

“Yarikecho” – 槍毛長 (やりけちょう) – [Yokai | Tsukumogami] – aka: “Captain Yarike”, “Geki ma”

• About this yokai: A war-tassel that was once part of a kiyari (an antiquated ceremonial spear) which broke off after being hoisted by Japan’s strongest warrior! Now a tsukumogami, it charges forth to attack and always strikes first! He’s the head-strong leader of the “Yarike Mushroom Extermination Crew!”

• Origin: Yarikecho is the “leader” of three Tsukumogami in the two page spread included at the start of Toriyama Sekein’s Gazu Hyakki Tsurezure Bukuro Part 2 (1784). The other two sharing the spread are Zenfusho (on the left) & Koinryo (in the center). Notably, Yarike is charging towards a patch of living mushrooms, brandishing a hefty wooden mallet! Sekien describes this yokai as follows:

“A kiyari once hoisted by Japan’s strongest warrior. Fears nothing, no matter how weird. Achieves its feats by striking first.”  – [Japandemonium 2017]

Zenfushou, Koinryo & Yarike. [image source: Smithsonian/archive.org]

The Antique in question: This muppet-looking yokai is actually a Kiyari (毛槍) also called a “Hair Spear” a ceremonial war staff, which would be used in royal processions by the lead warrior or the daimyo, who would thrust it upwards while chanting to rile the other warriors up, getting them in the mood for a battle!  They usually come in white or red and they can get pretty big! – Today kiyari are more often used as parade decorations and in “yari dono” (槍奴) dances!

In the bottom right corner of the centerfold is a patch of mushrooms with the faces of bearded men. There’s no description for these yokai mushrooms so one would assume they’re just a whimsical touch added on a whim. But the fact that Sekien has added plants with some symbolic meaning in his other yokai pictures is enough to make me wonder if there was any meaning to the mushroom men; possibly lost to time? -These man faced mushrooms bring to mind my favourite mushroom obake and particularly of the Kyogen skit “Kusabira.” – [a short play about a Yamabushi monk; who is trying to exterminate mushrooms from his neighbours garden, but he somehow makes things worse, which causes the yokai mushrooms to multiply!! In the end; he accidentally summons a gigantic evil mushroom that chases everyone off of stage! [You can Watch a performance of it here. ]  i digress its unclear if they have any significance what-so-ever!

• Similar yokai: Something we do know is that the poses of Yarike and company are likely taken from a Muromachi-era Hyakki Yagyo Emaki picture scroll. [below] The yokai which the others (Zenfusho and Koinryo) are imitating aren’t named, but the one Yarike is copying is Kanazuchibo, posed with his mallet to smack down Okka as usual.

–Wait does that mean Yarike is about to strike the Mushroom Men with his mallet? Oh Captain, my captain! Smashing mushrooms like that will only make them spread!! –Come to think of it… could that be what these three are doing? Exterminating yokai mushrooms? With Yarike leading as the first to strike, Koinryo quickly raking up the remains, and Zenfusho rinsing them away with a kettle of hot water? But that still wouldn’t stop them from spreading! These three yokai are often thought of as a squad of bandits but for all we know; they might also be the worst yokai gardeners ever!

• See also: Zenfusho, Koinryo.

[Art sticker & Writing by @SamKalensky (yo, thats me!) Editing by @Cattype. Part of my Hyakki Yagyo Night Parade of 100 yokai sticker series. Follow & check my shop out for many more!]