Bura-bura

Overview

Bura-bura appears as a torn paper lantern suspended from a bent bamboo or wooden pole. A dark circular eye occupies one side, while a ragged opening below forms a mouth from which a long tongue hangs. The upper cap and ribbed paper surface remain clear despite the damage. Grasses and a rough fence stand beside the lantern in an otherwise quiet outdoor scene.

The printed label 不落々 gives the named witness and prevents this individual plate from being treated as every lantern ghost. Its eye and tongue convert the worn object into a face, while the supporting pole shows how it is displayed. This is direct visual evidence of personification rather than an actual electrical or weather phenomenon. Narratives assigning the lantern an owner, an age threshold or an attack require additional sources.

Origins & earliest records

Toriyama Sekien, Hyakki Tsurezure Bukuro, first published 1784; volume 2 named plate directly inspected in the Smithsonian digitization. The final colophon states Tenmei 4 (1784) and a Bunka 2 (1805) reprint.

Records & interpretation

Printed label 不落々 and composition directly checked against the enlarged plate. This is an illustrated object apparition; an independent local oral tradition is not assumed.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Hyakki Tsurezure Bukuro

   Toriyama Sekien · 1784

   Volume 2; IIIF canvas index 8 (zero-based); HyakkitsurezureV2Tori_0009.jp2. This selected digitized copy includes later reprint information.

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

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

1. Institutional primary-book recordHyakki Tsurezure Bukuro — Smithsonian Libraries volume 2Research access: 2026-10-05
2. Primary illustrated plate / institutional digitizationBura-bura (不落々) — exact inspected illustrationResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

Bura-bura, named plate by Toriyama Sekien

Printed label 不落々 directly inspected with the enlarged composition. Sekien’s Bura-bura is a damaged paper lantern with a single eye and a hanging tongue. Exact URL copied from the returned manifest.