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curiousordinary.bsky.social
curious ordinary
@curiousordinary.bsky.social
9.9K followers 1.6K following 4.6K posts
▪️Folklore▪️Myth▪️Magic▪️Art▪️
Sharing Japanese and supernatural folklore, mythology, yokai, culture and art. Also love books, cats, crows and trees.
http://linktr.ee/curiousordinary
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Reposted by curious ordinary
curiousordinary.bsky.social
Senbiki okami is a supernatural phenomenon relating to large packs of wolves that is found throughout #JapaneseFolklore. This strange #yokai occurrence tends to involve travellers being chased at night by wolves where their only option to save themselves is to climb up a very...
#MythologyMonday
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A man stands beside two barking wolves and a full moon is in the sky above.
October 20, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Reposted by curious ordinary
curiousordinary.bsky.social
'Mother and Daughter' - Yamada Keichu, ca. 1897.
#JapaneseArt #ukiyoe #MythologyMonday
A mother and daughter sit at a table reading together. The child is holding an open book.
October 6, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Reposted by curious ordinary
curiousordinary.bsky.social
There is a #yokai known as kosenjobi (translates as ancient battlefield fire) that are found in places where battles have been fought and many deaths have occurred. They appear as groups of flaming balls floating around forlornly over ancient battlefields.
🎨Matthew Meyer @yokai.com
#MythologyMonday
Illustration by Matthew Meyer depicting a nighttime scene with balls of blue fire floating over what appears to be an old battlefield with a river behind and mountains on the horizon.
September 29, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Reposted by curious ordinary
curiousordinary.bsky.social
'Eagle Owl' - Yoshida Toshi, 1968.
#OwlishMonday #JapaneseArt
An owl sits on a branch in a tree surrounded by autumn leaves.
October 26, 2025 at 11:51 PM
curiousordinary.bsky.social
The cover of an e-hon (picture book) from a series of books titled 'Yamato Bunko.' This 1861 cover print is by Utagawa Kunisada and depicts a cat on a kotatsu (foot warmer).
#Caturday #JapaneseArt
A woman sits with her lower half under a green and red blanket which is a traditional Japanese foot warmer. A black and white cat sits on top of the blanket.
November 8, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Reposted by curious ordinary
curiousordinary.bsky.social
'Early Autumn in Itako' - Kawase Hasui, 1942.
#JapaneseArt
A sail boat on a lake at dusk. A crescent moon in the sky, tall trees on the shore.
October 22, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Reposted by curious ordinary
curiousordinary.bsky.social
'Black Cat' - Hasegawa Sadanobu IV, late 1900s.
#Caturday #JapaneseArt
Black cat licks its paw. Muted yellow background.
October 11, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Reposted by curious ordinary
ashmoleanmuseum.bsky.social
Gold autumnal leaves and plants are scattered across this beautiful little ojime bead.

An ojime is used to fasten the cord of an inrō (tiered lacquer carrying case). They are often intricately carved from materials like wood, lacquer, or metal.
A Japanese ojime bead in gold intricately carved with autumnal leaves and flowers
November 7, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Reposted by curious ordinary
camelliakyoto.bsky.social
🐉👣THE DRAGON'S BODY🐟🔔

Manpuku-ji (萬福寺) in Uji, home to the Ōbaku Zen sect (黄檗宗), was founded in 1661 by the Chinese monk Yinyuan Longqi (隱元隆琦 aka Ingen Ryūki 1592-1673).

It is considered to be Japan's greatest Chinese-style temple.
#Kyoto #京都 #Manpukuji #萬福寺
Manpuku-ji's striking statue of Rahula, 1 of the 16 Arhats. Manpuku-ji's Daiyu Hoden. The fence about the Dharma Hall features a broken down swastika pattern. Manpuku-ji's 'kaipan', a fish-shaped board struck to alert monks to mealtimes, lectures and daily tasks.
November 7, 2025 at 2:14 AM
curiousordinary.bsky.social
In Japan there is a famous tale about Oiwa whose husband disfigured her so he could remarry. This ukiyo-e print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1852) shows the vengeful ghost of Oiwa squeezing blood from her hair, watched by her terrified husband who she endlessly haunted.
#FolkyFriday #ukiyoe #JapaneseArt
A man looks on in horror as a ghostly woman squeezes blood from her hair.
November 7, 2025 at 12:30 PM
curiousordinary.bsky.social
And here is another blood-drinking #yokai. This one resembles a flying squirrel and it swoops down from trees to latch onto your face. They can also shoot swarms of bats out of their mouths because, well, why not?
#FolkyFriday #JapaneseFolklore
curiousordinary.bsky.social curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · Feb 26
In #JapaneseFolklore there is a #yokai called nodeppo that resembles a flying squirrel. They swoop down from trees at night and latch onto people's faces in order to drink their blood. Nodeppo can also shoot swarms of bats out of their mouths, which will then fly towards...
#LegendaryWednesday
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Three bat-like creatures sit in a tree. Below a swarm of small bats appear to swoop two people on a path.
November 7, 2025 at 12:29 PM
curiousordinary.bsky.social
Another blood-sucking #yokai for #FolkyFriday.
curiousordinary.bsky.social curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · May 14
In #JapaneseFolklore there is an insect #yokai known as tsutsugamushi. They are large and red with huge jaws and long antennae. They live deep in the mountains but come out at night and creep into houses to drink the blood of sleeping humans which can cause all kinds of...
#LegendaryWednesday
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Two red insects with sharp rangs scurry out of a tunnel in the earth. Two large insects can be seen near a stream.
November 7, 2025 at 12:25 PM
curiousordinary.bsky.social
#FolkyFriday #yokai
curiousordinary.bsky.social curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · Nov 19
In #JapaneseFolklore kubikajiri is a #yokai that eats the heads of its victims, living or dead. It waits in graveyards for the freshly buried dead, which it then digs up to feast on. Kubikajiri smells of blood and in some accounts it is also headless. Some believe they may...
#MythologyMonday
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A creature in the form of a withered old man with no legs hovers above a grave. He is chewing on a severed head and blood is dripping into the ground.
November 7, 2025 at 12:25 PM
curiousordinary.bsky.social
The worst kind of sacrifice! While this particular version is from Japan, there are many examples of similarly horrific rituals found throughout the world. Thankfully they are a thing of the past.
#FolkyFriday #JapaneseFolklore
curiousordinary.bsky.social curious ordinary @curiousordinary.bsky.social · Jul 9
In #JapaneseFolklore there are tales of a particularly gruesome practice known as hitobashira, where a living human is buried alive in the foundations of a building, especially castles or bridges. These sacrifices were a form of magic based on the belief that sacrificing a...
#WyrdWednesday
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A ghostly figure wearing white is buried in rubble. A woman sits against a pillar with her hands tied behind her back among rubble.
November 7, 2025 at 12:24 PM
curiousordinary.bsky.social
'Two Women in a Gusty Autumn Landscape' from the series 'The Six Immortal Poets' - Katsukawa Shunsho, ca. 1771. From the Art Institute of Chicago collection.
#JapaneseArt #ukiyoe
Two women walk along a path with a maple tree behind. Their clothes are blowing in a strong wind.
November 7, 2025 at 12:28 AM
curiousordinary.bsky.social
'Bird and Autumn Flowers' - Utagawa Hiroshige II, ca. late 1860s.
#JapaneseArt #ukiyoe
A golden bird and red and purple flowers on a green background.
November 7, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Reposted by curious ordinary
curiousordinary.bsky.social
Three-panel Japanese woodblock print, 'Gathering Mushrooms in Autumn' - Utagawa Kunisada, ca. 1844.
#JapaneseArt #ukiyoe
A three-panel print showing people near a tree with autumn leaves. A child is foraging on the ground.
October 5, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Reposted by curious ordinary
ashmoleanmuseum.bsky.social
What is your favourite bird?

These little sparrows are a detail of a two-fold painted and embroidered screen by Takeuchi Seihō.
A detail from a Japanese printed screen featuring three delicate embroidered sparrows in flight against a gold background
November 6, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Reposted by curious ordinary
godysseypodcast.com
The akugyo (悪魚) has the head and arms of a woman and breathes fire, a malevolent Japanese mermaid who ensnares the ships of sailors in rocks and then breaks the ship, devouring them. Japanese lords have tried to take her down, and failed. #WyrdWednesday

🖼: Sabnock_
Sabnock_'s depiction of an akugyo, who has the head of a woman and long black hair, the front of a fishy dragon with human-like hands, fins, a spined back, and red lightning coming from her. She breathes fire or red smoke as she swims, and her name is written in Kanji.
November 5, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Reposted by curious ordinary
xingwu.bsky.social
Few know that the elegant Eight Pieces of Brocade (八段錦) qigong once wove together martial grace and artistic refinement.
Originating over a thousand years ago and practiced in imperial palaces, its eight flowing movements were inspired by embroidery patterns,
#art #sport
🎨 《八段錦冊》清 In the standing posture, the feet are positioned shoulder-width apart, while in the sitting posture, one sits with crossed legs. Specific details include pressing the tongue against the palate and focusing the mind on the dantian (energy center in the abdomen). Each movement is repeated multiple times.
November 6, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Reposted by curious ordinary
hookland.bsky.social
For the witch, there are times when the river becomes a fluid scrying, a constant flow of omens. It's tutelary spirit whispers wisdom in her ears, its magics ripple across her psychic skin. She becomes one with its shaping song. – #EmilyCBanting, 1982 #WitchSky
November 5, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Reposted by curious ordinary
mariastrutz.bsky.social
A fox jumping over a tomb, jumping over the moon.
If you are lucky enough to witness such an event, you may choose to whisper important news to the fox:
the passing of a loved one, the birth of a child, the fall of tyrants.
The news will be passed on to the clan
#FullMoon #FoxMoon #SuperMoon🦊🐾🌕
This image captures a glimpse of a Fox jumping over a full moon above a Neolithic tomb, three standing stones holding up a slab. There are foxgloves in the foreground, stars whirling around a full moon. Linocut, dark blue and white, Maria Strutz
November 5, 2025 at 5:18 PM
curiousordinary.bsky.social
Today I learnt about a three-legged, one-eyed shapeshifting kitsune ( #yokai fox) known as Otora gitsune who possesses humans and talks about its wartime experiences. Those possessed suffer from discharge from their left eye, an aching left leg, and they recount...
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🎨Matthew Meyer @yokai.com
A three-legged fox with one eye missing stands beside a lake. Behind it a very old wooden torii (gate) stands and a path leads through a misty forest.
November 6, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Reposted by curious ordinary
curiousordinary.bsky.social
In honour of tonight's gorgeous full moon, here is one of my favourite Japanese prints 'Bat Before the Moon' by Biho Takashi (1910).
#JapaneseArt #FullMoon
A bat flies towards a huge full moon in the sky. The print has blue sky at the top that fades to white at the bottom.
August 19, 2024 at 11:08 AM
Reposted by curious ordinary
curiousordinary.bsky.social
This Japanese ukiyo-e print by Utagawa Kunisada is from a series depicting chapters from The Tale of Genji and is titled 'Chapter 52, Kagero' and dated 1854. It depicts Prince Genji and two small children on the night of a full moon which can be seen in the sky.
#JapaneseArt #ukiyoe #FullMoon
A man stands holding a fan with two young children nearby. Behind them is the ocean or a lake and cliffs upon which can be seen trees and several traditional style buildings. A full moon can be seen in the night sky.
November 17, 2024 at 9:37 AM