Nurarihyon (Sawaki Scroll) Postcard

This is a scan of a picture scroll drawn by Sawaki Suushi in 1737, in the Edo Period of Japanese history. The scroll collection is called the Hyakkai-Zukan, or The Illustrated Volume of a Hundred Spirits. The yokai, or spirit, depicted here is named Nurarihyon. Nurarihyon (ぬらりひょん), whose name means "slippery-strange," originated as a sea monster, despite his old man appearance. In the legends of Okayama Prefecture, the Nurarihyon's head appeared in the sea floating on the surface. When people tried to catch it, it would repeatedly sink and resuface, as if mocking them. He's basically a funny interpretation of a jellyfish or Portuguese man-of-war. In modern times, Nurarihyon has evolved into an old man who sneaks into people's houses and makes himself at home, posing as the head of the household. The people who live in the house are tricked into believing he belongs there. In pop culture, he is often depicted as a leader of the yokai, and as a villain.