The Tsukumogami
In Japanese folklore, an object that reaches its hundredth year can come alive: an umbrella hopping on one leg, a lantern with a long tongue, a sandal that runs away.
What was reported
Tsukumogami are household things that have gained a spirit by lasting a hundred years: paper lanterns, umbrellas, sandals, tea kettles, musical instruments. Medieval scrolls from Kyoto show them parading through the streets at night.
In some stories, objects thrown away carelessly before their hundredth year turn into angry spirits and take revenge on the people who discarded them. Japanese temples still hold memorial services for old needles, dolls and other belongings before they are thrown away.
Explanations offered
The idea comes from Shinto and Buddhist beliefs that spirits can live in all things, and from a respect for objects that serve people well. Tsukumogami appear in Japanese art, games and films, from old scrolls to modern anime.
- When
- Told since the Middle Ages
- Where
- Kyoto, Japan
- Witnesses
- Japanese folklore
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
More from Kyōto