Kosamebō

Overview

Kosamebō appears as a bearded, robed figure standing beside a stone lantern. Fine vertical lines fill the surrounding space with rain. One hand carries a short staff or wand decorated with loops; the other broad sleeve rises toward his mouth. Tied sandals, a sash and layered clothing distinguish the figure from the unclothed or skeletal bodies on neighboring pages.

The printed title 小雨坊 gives the exact named witness. The setting combines outdoor rain, a religiously suggestive figure and a familiar stone garden or temple fixture. These visible features support the designation of a rain monk apparition without establishing a specific monastery, historical identity or habitual demand made upon travelers. The profile records the posture, garments and objects in the actual plate while keeping unchecked encounter narratives separate.

Origins & earliest records

Toriyama Sekien, Konjaku Hyakki Shūi (first published 1781), volume 2; the named plate was directly inspected in the digitized institutional copy. This dates a selected representation, not an earliest oral belief.

Records & interpretation

Printed label 小雨坊 and creature composition directly checked in the enlarged primary scan. The cursive explanatory commentary has not been fully transcribed; detailed popular narratives are excluded unless supported separately.

Selected bibliography

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

1. 01

   Konjaku Hyakki Shūi

   Toriyama Sekien · 1781

   Volume 2; IIIF canvas index 9 (zero-based); HyakkishuYiV2Tori_0010.jp2. Named illustration 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

References

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

1. Institutional primary-book recordKonjaku Hyakki Shūi — Smithsonian Libraries digitized volume 2Research access: 2026-10-05
2. Primary illustrated plate / institutional digitizationKosamebō (小雨坊) — exact inspected primary plateResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

Kosamebō, named plate by Toriyama Sekien

Printed label 小雨坊 and the pictured composition directly inspected at enlarged resolution. Kosamebō is an aged robed figure shown beside a stone lantern under vertical lines of rain. The exact image URL comes from the returned IIIF manifest, not a guessed page ID.