Ushirogami, named plate by Toriyama Sekien
Printed label 後神 directly inspected in the enlarged image. Sekien’s Ushirogami is a one-eyed, long-haired figure bending through swirling air beside a tree. Exact URL copied from returned IIIF manifest.
Overview
Ushirogami is depicted as a small human-like figure with one large eye set into a dark, elongated face. Long hair streams upward behind its head. Its body bends forward, while a narrow curved lower extension hangs toward a nearby tree. Broad sweeping lines encircle the figure, giving the composition a strong impression of movement above the ground.
The printed heading 後神 fixes the identity of the pictured apparition. A large folding fan enters the scene from the opposite side, providing another curve that echoes the swirling lines. This exact arrangement can be described without interpreting every mark as a distinct power. The illustration does not show a victim or a repeated encounter sequence; claims about pulling hair or frightening people from behind need separate textual verification.
Origins & earliest records
Toriyama Sekien, Konjaku Hyakki Shūi (1781), volume 3; selected named plate directly inspected in the institutional digitization. This is not a claim that an oral tradition began in that year.
Records & interpretation
Printed label 後神, image composition and exact manifest URL directly checked. Explanatory cursive text is not completely transcribed; unverified narrative powers are omitted.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Konjaku Hyakki Shūi
Volume 3; IIIF canvas index 12 (zero-based); HyakkishuYiV3Tori_0013.jp2. Individually enlarged and 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
Konjaku Hyakki Shūi
Volume 3; Smithsonian Libraries digitization. IIIF canvas index 12 (zero-based); HyakkishuYiV3Tori_0013.jp2
Printed label 後神 directly inspected in the enlarged image. Sekien’s Ushirogami is a one-eyed, long-haired figure bending through swirling air beside a tree. Exact URL copied from returned IIIF manifest.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Institutional primary-book recordKonjaku Hyakki Shūi — institutional volume 3Research access: 2026-10-05
- Primary illustrated plate / institutional digitizationUshirogami (後神) — inspected primary plateResearch access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
Historical illustrationUshirogami, named plate by Toriyama Sekien
Printed label 後神 directly inspected in the enlarged image. Sekien’s Ushirogami is a one-eyed, long-haired figure bending through swirling air beside a tree. Exact URL copied from returned IIIF manifest.
