Journal
Dai Yokai Journal
Guides, Japanese folklore, masks and workshop notes.
Oni mask: the guardian ogre of Japanese folklore, explained
What does an Oni mask mean? Guardian ogre, five colours, horns, tiger loincloth, irezumi tattoos and the difference between Oni and Hannya.
Tengu mask meaning: long nose, history and symbolism
What a Tengu mask means: long nose, Karasu and Daitengu forms, Yamabushi roots, irezumi symbolism and handmade Dai Yokai masks.
Kitsune Mask Meaning and Handmade Japanese Fox Masks
Kitsune mask meaning, Inari fox folklore, Zenko and Nogitsune symbolism, plus handmade Japanese fox masks by Dai Yokai.
Kuchisake-Onna: legend of the slit-mouthed woman
Kuchisake-Onna, the slit-mouthed woman: Japanese urban legend, origin, variants, 1979 panic, symbolism and popular culture.
Oni-gawara: protective demon roof tile and Oni mask
What an oni-gawara is, why demon roof tiles protect Japanese roofs, how they differ from Oni masks, and the link with Dai Yokai Oni masks.
Japanese Halloween masks: which one actually scares?
Choose a Japanese mask for Halloween: Geisha Horror, Kuchisake-onna, Yuki-onna, Oni, Hannya or black Kitsune, with photos, meanings and c...
Fudō Myō-ō: meaning, sword, rope and Japanese mask
Fudō Myō-ō, the immovable wisdom king: his sword, rope and flames, his wrathful face, his place in Japanese art and tattooing, and the Da...
Ōkami: the Guardian Wolf of Japan
The Ōkami, Japan's mountain guardian wolf: protected villages, okuri-ōkami, Mitsumine Shrine and the vanished Honshū wolf.
Ondeko: the protector demon-drummer of Sado Island
Sado Island's Ondeko: a protective oni who dances to the drum to purify villages. Origins, styles and the role of this Japanese ritual.
Hyottoko mask: origins and meaning in Japan
The Hyottoko, Japan's comic twisted-mouth mask: the fire man, a household good-luck figure and Okame's festival partner.
Mempo and Mengu: the samurai armour masks
Mengu and mempo, the samurai armour masks: the difference between the terms, the five types, the Katchu-shi armourers and the psychologic...
Ghost of Yotei: which masks fit an Atsu cosplay
Ghost of Yotei is set in 1603 Ezo. Handmade Japanese masks that fit an Atsu cosplay or the game's rōnin look: Mempo, Ōkami, Tengu.
Onigawara: the demon tile that guards Japanese roofs
The history of onigawara, the demon tiles of Japanese roofs: from lotus flowers to ogre faces, their role, the onishi craftsmen and ibush...
Ibaraki-doji: the demon with the severed arm
Ibaraki-doji, the Oni who lost an arm to Watanabe no Tsuna: human birth, bond with Shuten-doji, shapeshifting and gender ambiguity.
Setsubun: driving out the Oni with beans
Setsubun, the Japanese ritual of February 3rd: mamemaki, why soybeans, the phrase to shout, and the central role of the Oni mask.
Japanese Masks: 14 Centuries of History in 7 Faces
Japanese masks explained: Oni, Hannya, Kitsune, Tengu, Mempo, articulated masks and Dragon, with history, meanings and buying guidance.
Black Kitsune Mask: the Genkō, Fox of the Stars
The black Kitsune mask, between Genkō and Nogitsune: star fox, shadow, protection, and how it differs from Inari's white Kitsune.
White Kitsune Mask: the Sacred Byakko Fox
The white Kitsune mask, sacred fox messenger of Inari: the meaning of white, red marks, and the difference between Zenko and Nogitsune.
Kintsugi: the Art of Golden Repair and the Hannya Mask
Kintsugi, the Japanese art of mending broken objects with gold: its origin, wabi-sabi philosophy, and link to the Hannya mask.
Black Oni Mask: Why the Kuro-Oni Is the Root of All Demons
What does a black Oni mask mean? The Kuro-Oni embodies doubt, the root of all Buddhist poisons. Symbolism, gold accents and placement, by...
Ao-Oni: the blue demon and the colour that isn't one
The Ao-Oni, blue Japanese demon: why "ao" also covers green, cold anger in the five colours, and his role in Naita Aka Oni.
Aka-Oni: the red demon and the tale of the crying Oni
The Aka-Oni, red Japanese demon: its place in the five colours, the tale Naita Aka Oni and the symbolism of red in folklore.
Fujin: the Japanese Wind God Who Came from Greece
Fujin (風神) is the Japanese wind god: Greek roots, bag of winds, green skin, mask symbolism, and his link with Raijin in folklore.
Kezurata: When the Hannya Cracks
The Kezurata, my textured take on the Hannya mask: a rage so old it cracked the face open. The concept, the painting method, and where to...
Neko Hannya Mask: the Demon Cat Half-Mask
The Neko Hannya, my fusion of the supernatural bakeneko cat and the Hannya demon: a feline half-mask made for dark cosplay and techwear.
Shuten-dōji: the Oni king beaten by trickery
Shuten-dōji, the Oni king of Mount Ōe: his tragic origin, his reign of terror, and his fall to Minamoto no Raikō's poisoned sake.
Hannya x Berserk Mask: the Brand of Sacrifice on a Noh Demon
How a logo engraving test on a Hannya became my most requested Berserk crossover: the Brand of Sacrifice, six finishes and tattoo meaning.
Raijin: the thunder god born of death
Raijin, the Shinto thunder god: his birth from Izanami's corpse, his taiko drums, the navel-stealing folklore and his inseparable duo wit...