Jinmenju

Overview

Jinmenju is represented by a tree whose hanging rounded forms carry human faces. They appear in clusters among narrow pointed leaves, with expressions ranging from broad smiles to closed eyes and quieter mouths. The branches extend across the upper edge of the composition, while the rough trunk anchors the left side. A low rock and grasses occupy the otherwise open ground beneath it.

The title 人面樹 identifies the human-faced tree. Sekien makes the faces part of the vegetation rather than placing separate people in the branches. Their different expressions give the repeated forms individual character. The inspected image establishes this arrangement without supplying a botanical species or a geographic specimen. A prose explanation accompanies the tree, but no claim about an edible fruit or its effects is made without a checked narrative passage.

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 12 (zero-based); printed name 人面樹.

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: 人面樹Research access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

Jinmenju, named plate by Toriyama Sekien

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