Iyaya, named plate by Toriyama Sekien
Iyaya is printed under the heading 否哉 in Sekien’s Konjaku Hyakki Shūi. A woman in a patterned robe stands near shallow water, wearing a broad hat that partly hides her face. The reflection below her shows an elderly, wrinkled countenance beneath the same hat. The scene uses the contrast between the outward figure and its mirrored image to disclose the uncanny character. Caption label checked at enlarged resolution.
Overview
Iyaya is printed under the heading 否哉 in Sekien’s Konjaku Hyakki Shūi. A woman in a patterned robe stands near shallow water, wearing a broad hat that partly hides her face. The reflection below her shows an elderly, wrinkled countenance beneath the same hat. The scene uses the contrast between the outward figure and its mirrored image to disclose the uncanny character.
The plate is especially useful as visual evidence because the revelation occurs in the reflection, not through a separate attacking monster. Plants, water, and a fence establish a modest outdoor setting. Sekien’s text introduces the figure through a literary reference; the complete older passage has not been checked here. Accordingly, the profile describes the disguise and reflected appearance without supplying an invented motive, a fixed victim type, or rules about how the apparition reacts when someone notices the discrepancy.
Origins & earliest records
Japan; Toriyama Sekien’s illustrated collection
Records & interpretation
Directly inspected labelled primary woodblock plate; descriptive claims limited to this witness.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Konjaku Hyakki Shūi
Inspected Smithsonian digitization; image canvas index 13 (zero-based, not printed page number).
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 Hyakki Shūi
HyakkishuYiV3Tori. Label 否哉; IIIF canvas index 13; zero-based scan locator, not printed pagination
Iyaya is printed under the heading 否哉 in Sekien’s Konjaku Hyakki Shūi. A woman in a patterned robe stands near shallow water, wearing a broad hat that partly hides her face. The reflection below her shows an elderly, wrinkled countenance beneath the same hat. The scene uses the contrast between the outward figure and its mirrored image to disclose the uncanny character. Caption label checked at enlarged resolution.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Primary illustrated sourceKonjaku Hyakki Shūi digitized primary plate 否哉Research access: 2026-10-05
- Institutional catalogSmithsonian Libraries digitized volumeResearch access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
Historical illustrationIyaya, named plate by Toriyama Sekien
Iyaya is printed under the heading 否哉 in Sekien’s Konjaku Hyakki Shūi. A woman in a patterned robe stands near shallow water, wearing a broad hat that partly hides her face. The reflection below her shows an elderly, wrinkled countenance beneath the same hat. The scene uses the contrast between the outward figure and its mirrored image to disclose the uncanny character. Caption label checked at enlarged resolution.
