Buru-buru, named plate by Toriyama Sekien
Printed title震々 and actual illustration inspected. Description records visible composition, not an unchecked translation of cursive text.
Overview
Buru-buru is illustrated as a long-haired, human-faced apparition extending upward from a tree trunk or stump. Its thin arms hang forward, while long parallel lines replace an ordinary lower body and curl toward the ground. A rope, axe and other woodcutting equipment lie in the foreground. The contrast between tangible tools and the body's streaming outline gives the scene a suspended, unsettling quality without showing a physical assault.
The printed 震々 identifies this fear-associated subject. The image supplies a concrete historical representation of the apparition rather than evidence of a measurable bodily illness. Its surroundings should be described as drawn equipment and vegetation; a detailed account of who feels fear and why requires a checked reading of the explanatory text.
Origins & earliest records
Toriyama Sekien includes the named illustration in Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki, first published 1779. The inspected Smithsonian copy is a later historical edition; the first book appearance is not a claim of the earliest oral tradition.
Records & interpretation
Directly inspected historical illustration and printed name. Pictorial observations are distinguished from narrative claims that would require a separate checked text.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki
Volume 3, IIIF canvas index 13 (zero-based); printed title 震々 directly inspected.
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
Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki
Volume3; Smithsonian Libraries copy. IIIF canvas index 13 (zero-based)
Printed title震々 and actual illustration inspected. Description records visible composition, not an unchecked translation of cursive text.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Institutional primary-book recordSmithsonian Libraries — historical illustrated volumeResearch access: 2026-10-05
- Direct primary illustrationNamed primary plate: 震々Research access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
Historical illustrationBuru-buru, named plate by Toriyama Sekien
Printed title震々 and actual illustration inspected. Description records visible composition, not an unchecked translation of cursive text.
