Yucho – [yokai|KanNoMushi]

• About this Mushi: Bright red, Polyp-like parasites that form from accumulated, clotted internal bleeding. They are hot to the touch and form in clusters of three or more. They suck up as much water as they can from their host and will grow large, round and bulbous; resembling a pot or a flask. The host will find themselves thirstier than usual, gulping down cold liquids, but they soon find that they will never stay hydrated, (because these nasty things are absorbing the water instead!)

• Cure: Ingesting Rhubarb orally will eliminate all symptoms!

• History: its yet another One out of 63 ‘KanNoMushi’ ‘疳の虫’ (germ/parasitic Yokai) from the “Harikikigaki” 針聞書 (“The book of needles.”) A mysterious book about acupuncture & medical knowledge written in 1568 by a resident of Ibaraki City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. – The Kyushu national museum’s guide book notes that this one is probably named as such because it resembles the kanji “由” for its resemblance to a “bottle or flask” & because of its pot-like ability to store as much water as possible!

[Original image source via kyushu national museum]

• My Observations: These Sound like internal “Yokai-Zits”, boils, or like a literal tick of some kind of to me!!! (I doubt they’re at all related but it does also remind me of “man faced tumors & magical lumps”) –Naturally; for my own sanity, I took some artistic liberty and gave this disgusting blobby parasite an adorable face! (why you ask!?! well why wouldn’t i!!?) – it kinda feels like a group of slimes appeared!!

[art sticker by @samkalensky part of my Yokai series of stickers follow and support for many more!]