Dorotabō

Overview

Dorotabō rises from the ground with the lower body hidden in mud. One enormous eye projects from its bald head above a broad toothy mouth. The narrow torso is marked by prominent ribs, and both arms stretch outward with long pointed fingers. A low bank, scattered plants and a partly damaged fence frame the scene. The body appears rooted in the muddy foreground rather than standing on visible legs.

The title 泥田坊 identifies the muddy-field being. The printed prose shares the page with this emphatic earth-emerging figure. Its large eye and exposed upper body make the illustration unmistakable among Sekien’s clothed apparitions. The visible setting supports a connection with worked ground, but ownership of the field and a particular spoken complaint are not established from the image alone. Those belong to the accompanying narrative and require a checked translation.

Origins & earliest records

Named illustration in Toriyama Sekien’s Konjaku Hyakki Shūi, first published in 1781. The historical Smithsonian Libraries copy is the inspected witness; book publication is not a claim about the earliest oral tradition.

Records & interpretation

Printed name and complete composition individually inspected in an enlarged historical scan. Explanatory prose is not presented as a fully checked transcription.

Selected bibliography

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

1. 01

   Konjaku Hyakki Shūi

   Toriyama Sekien · 1781; historical digitized edition

   Volume 1; IIIF canvas index 19 (zero-based); printed name 泥田坊.

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 recordSmithsonian Libraries — historical illustrated volumeResearch access: 2026-10-05
2. Direct primary illustrationNamed primary plate: 泥田坊Research access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

Dorotabō, named plate by Toriyama Sekien

Printed name 泥田坊 and composition individually inspected at enlarged resolution. Actual image URL taken from the IIIF manifest.