Tōdaiki, named plate by Toriyama Sekien
Printed name 燈臺鬼 and composition individually inspected at enlarged resolution. Actual image URL taken from the IIIF manifest.
Overview
Tōdaiki stands with folded hands and an upright lamp mounted on top of its head. The face has a heavy brow and a downturned mouth, framed by straight hair. Its layered clothes include a long spotted outer garment and visible sleeves. Behind the figure are a hanging textile and a low board holding two covered containers. The lamp’s small flame bends sideways above the human-shaped body.
The title 燈臺鬼 identifies the lamp-bearing demon. The conspicuous head-mounted light turns a piece of furnishing into part of the figure’s appearance. Sekien includes an explanatory passage and verse beside the image, making the page a literary as well as pictorial witness. The current visual account establishes the lamp and posture; the full account of the person’s transformation requires a separate transcription of that text.
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.
- 01
Konjaku Hyakki Shūi
Volume 1; IIIF canvas index 18 (zero-based); printed name 燈臺鬼.
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
Volume 1; historical Smithsonian Libraries copy. IIIF canvas index 18 (zero-based)
Printed name 燈臺鬼 and composition individually inspected at enlarged resolution. Actual image URL taken from the IIIF manifest.
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: 燈臺鬼Research access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
Historical illustrationTōdaiki, named plate by Toriyama Sekien
Printed name 燈臺鬼 and composition individually inspected at enlarged resolution. Actual image URL taken from the IIIF manifest.
