Bakezōri
Image associated with the exact linked encyclopedia article; consult credited file description for its interpretation.
Overview
Bakezōri is an animated sandal with a recognizable sole, limbs and, in familiar depictions, a single eye. The transformation gives a humble item of footwear the means to wander and make noise. It belongs to the wider company of household objects that acquire personality in yōkai imagery. Its small scale and ordinary material distinguish it from imposing mountain beasts, while making the domestic encounter playful and disconcerting.
Contextual accounts attach chanting and annoyance to the sandal's activities, sometimes comparing it with other forms of footwear. Such behaviour should remain attached to the account that describes it, and the visual tradition of animated sandals is older and broader than one modern name. This entry concerns the named sandal apparition. It does not turn a general story about neglected objects into proof that every straw sandal follows an identical transformation or ritual history.
Origins & earliest records
Animated sandals belong to the historical object-yōkai repertoire. The particular image, modern name and collected narratives should not be assumed to originate together.
Records & interpretation
The cited reference identifies historical sandal imagery and later explanatory sources. A direct museum record for the specific image remains to be matched.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Hyakki Yagyō Emaki: animated-sandal image
The individual reference identifies a sandal illustration; direct institutional object matching remains incomplete.
Family & connections
A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.
Primary records and illustrations
Yōkai Emaki; Nichibun sandal-monster catalogue
Parent record U426_nichibunken_0154; artist and historical date not supplied. Figure identifier U426_nichibunken_0154_0078_0000
Institutional record identifies an animated sandal figure covered in yellow straw, with a waraji face, animal-like limbs and a horse-head staff. The catalogue does not label it Bakezōri, and its form differs from the modern one-eyed sandal. IIIF crop locator is supplied by the record, but manifest request returned 403. Do not claim direct scan inspection or exact identity with the later named figure.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Secondary referenceBakezōri — image identification and bibliographyResearch access: 2026-10-05
- Institutional image catalogueNichibun — historical sandal-monster analogue, not exact modern-name identificationResearch access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
Reference illustrationBakezōri
Image associated with the exact linked encyclopedia article; consult credited file description for its interpretation.
