Yokai Wonderland - More from YUMOTO Koichi Collection: Supernatural Beings in Japanese Art
A newly revealed collection of Japanese art featuring yokai, the monsters of Japanese folklore
Yokai are a class of supernatural monsters in Japanese folklore. In the Edo period (1603-1868), many artists, such as Hokusai Katsushika or Kuniyoshi Utagawa, created works featuring yokai that were inspired by folklore or their own imaginations.
This book contains a lot of art works of Japanese yokai from the Edo period to today and includes not only paintings but also wood block prints, scrolls, ceramics, kimonos, wooden sculptures, magazines, children’s toys, such as board games, and more. This is the second series from the Yokai Museum and showcases a new collection of works, including never-before-seen works. All of the works featured in this book are from the personal collection of Koichi Yumoto, who will be opening the Yokai Museum in Hiroshima in 2018. Yumoto’s own commentary on the works and the history of yokai are also included. This book will certainly appeal to Japanese art lovers, fans of yokai and also to those who are new to these fascinating supernatural creatures. It is also a valuable reference and source of inspiration for designers and illustrators.
About the author Koichi Yumoto (b.1950) : Collector and researcher of yokai art. Former curatorial director of the Kawasaki City Museum. About the YUMOTO Koichi Collection The largest personal collection of yokai art in Japan: around 4,000 works which range from the Edo period to the present day. These include painting, woodbock prints, scrolls, ceramics, kimonos, wooden sculptures, magazines, children's toys, board games, and more. The collection will be housed in the new Yokai Museum (tentative name) in Miyoshi city, Hiroshima Prefecture, which is planned to open to the public by April 2019.
