From Eery to Endearing: Yokai in the Arts of Japan

Yokai, the scary, quirky and often lovable supernatural creatures appearing all over Japanese folklore, have well and truly made a comeback to the spotlight: riding the coattails of the 'Yokai Watch' franchise, the ragtag monsters are currently popping up in product form, in movies and at exhibitions, including this very informative-looking one at the Edo-Tokyo Museum. Divvied up into four parts, 'From Eery to Endearing' explores yokai in art from ancient dogu (clay figurines) all the way up to the manga and anime of the 21st century, touching on the folk legend of the 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons' (hyakki yagyo) and Heian-era depictions of hell before arriving at 'Yokai Watch' and its modernised version of the spirit world.