![]() The animated household objects’ frenzy comes to an end when Buddhist priests intervene – meant to convince the audience that Buddhist practices were more powerful than local spirits associated with Shinto. Museum of Fine Arts Bostonĭespite the Shinto elements, this is not a Shinto story but a Buddhist one. Angered at the perceived disrespect, the tool specters went on a rampage: drinking, gambling, even kidnapping and killing humans and animals.Ī poster of monsters by Japanese artist Utagawa Shigekiyo, published in 1860. These animated household objects took offense at their casual disregard after years of loyal service. ![]() It tells the story of how just such objects, already 100 years old and possessed by kami, were cast out in the trash after the annual housecleaning ritual. The “Tsukumogami-ki,” or “ Record of Tool Specters,” is a text written sometime between the 14th and 16th centuries. It is said that when an object becomes 100 years old it becomes inhabited by a Shinto spirit and comes to life as a tsukumogami. Shinto recognizes spirits, or “kami,” as existing in various places in the human world: from trees, mountains and waterfalls to human-made objects. This concept originates in Shinto, which literally translates as “the way of the gods,” and is Japan’s native folk religion. ![]() ![]() One special class of yokai is known as “ tsukumogami,” referring to animated household objects. But another category of yokai is the living, shape-changing “bakemono” – including the mischievous “ tanuki,” a raccoon dog, and “ kitsune,” or fox, often depicted in statues guarding shrines. There are countless varieties of monsters in Japanese folklore, including “yokai.” As Japanese folklore scholar Michael Dylan Foster points out, the category “yokai” is nearly impossible to define, because the meaning is ever-changing – and many yokai themselves are shape-shifters.įor instance, “ yurei” are truly terrifying, vengeful ghosts. Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images Revenge of the tools Fans of the famous animator Hayao Miyazaki may recall the cute little soot sprites made of dust in his films “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Spirited Away.” Then there’s the ceiling licker, “ tenjōname”: a tall monster with a long tongue said to eat up the filth that accumulates in hard-to-reach places.Ī scene of housecleaning in preparation for the new year by artist Kitagawa Utamaro in the late 1700s. The idea of avoiding waste is closely tied to ideas of tidiness, which has a whole host of spirits and rituals in Japanese culture. These traditions have been shaped by centuries-old Buddhist and Shinto teachings about inanimate objects’ interconnectedness with humans that continue to influence culture today. Japan is not always known for being environmentally conscious, but its anti-waste values are deeply held. Many Americans are familiar with the famous decluttering technique of organization guru Marie Kondo, who wrote “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.” Travelers to Japan may hear the classic expression “ mottainai,” which means “don’t be wasteful” or “what a waste.” There are even gods, spirits and monsters, or “yokai,” associated with waste, cleanliness and respect for material goods.Īs a scholar of Asian philosophy and religions, I believe the popularity of “mottainai” expresses an ideal more than a reality. Warnings against waste run especially deep in Japanese culture. People fear not making the most of their time, whether at work or at leisure, and failing to live life to the fullest.
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