Searching for your "oshi"

Nice to meet you.

Starting this season, I will be working hard as a "Yokai Lover."

My name is Kotaro, a biwa storyteller.

Well, I'll tell you more about myself later, but what kind of yokai is your favorite...or, to put it in modern terms, your "favorite yokai"?

Is he a brave, courageous and ruthless demon?

Is it a fox that transforms into an elegant and beautiful young man?

Is this a slightly absent-minded but lovable raccoon?

Is it a monster cat with strong emotions?

Is this a kappa who loves sumo and makes wonderful plates?

Could it be a Tsukumogami that resides in old objects?

Is it a demon born out of grudge or personal hatred?

Is this a monster that comes to mind from novels or letters?

Are they the various yokai that you fall in love with from manga and anime?

Is it some kind of indescribable, mysterious demon?

Your "oshi" probably has a special meaning to you.

Those who are still new to the world of yokai or don't have a favorite may find one from now on, and they may come to love all yokai equally.

As you know, Japanese people and yokai have had a long-standing relationship.

This world of yokai has had an unbroken string of stories dating back to the Nara and Heian periods.

In other words, it can be said to be the origin of the oldest derivative work in Japan, which has been going on for about 1,300 years.

The good thing about it is that it has a wide range of categories...no, "genres."

This is a "divine genre" that no one can escape from.

There you will find the stories that touch your hearts.

And the fact that the stories are not necessarily fiction is what makes us so excited.

Another great thing about this yokai world is that you can dress up as a yokai yourself - cosplay.

You can embody your very own favorite idol, and because your favorite idol is precious, cosplaying as that person's favorite idol is the best.

"Let's clear away all the sorrows of this world!!" That's what it means.

This blog contains articles featuring many "Yokai Lovers," so you might find your favorite one!

My favorite yokai is Tsukumogami. When an object reaches the age of 100, a soul is inhabited and it becomes a yokai.

I, Kotaro, enjoy playing the biwa, and at this stage, it is relatively difficult for a biwa made almost entirely of wood to last more than 100 years. Still, I am confident that compared to other Japanese musical instruments, there are plenty of biwa that are close to reaching 100 years of age.

To be precise, it has already begun, but in the world of Tsukumogami, a Biwa Tsukumogami fever is taking hold. It has been going on for about half a century without pause.

Of course, this has its roots in the Taisho period, 100 years ago.

This was a time when a revolution occurred in the biwa instrument, and it became a huge hit.

During the Meiji, Taisho and Showa periods, Chikuzen Biwa and Satsuma Biwa were widely produced. The number of people playing the biwa is now less than 1000, but in the Taisho period, there were 2000 Chikuzen Biwa players in Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu.

In other words, in Kumamoto Prefecture alone there were over 2,000 biwas, even if each person had one.

All of these biwas are about to turn 100 years old in one go.

Just thinking about it is fun! Eh? Is that going too far? I still have more to say...

Huh? Next time? Okay! See you in the next article!

Now, I would like to write my best articles about the existence of yokai.

I will continue to speak out until Yokai requests an injunction and replacement.

Well, that's all for today.

See you next time!

Written by: Biwa Storyteller Kotaro

Illustration: Irasutoyahttps://www.irasutoya.com/ twist