Jul 10
Utagawa Kuniyoshi print of Ushi no Toki Mairi, from the series Fūryū onna Rokkasen
seen from South Africa
seen from Malaysia
seen from Hong Kong SAR China
seen from Malaysia
seen from Nigeria
seen from Malaysia
seen from Japan
seen from China
seen from Switzerland
seen from Brazil
seen from Malaysia
seen from Kuwait
seen from Netherlands
seen from Poland
seen from Belize
seen from Germany
seen from United States
seen from Switzerland
seen from China
seen from United Kingdom
Utagawa Kuniyoshi print of Ushi no Toki Mairi, from the series Fūryū onna Rokkasen
They give me the same vibe...
swordtember 2 • floral
Wara ningyô (straw doll) kept at Tono Museum.
Those effigies were once hung on ropes (michikiri) by roadsides and village entrances to ward off evil spirits bringing pestilence (疫病神 yakubyôgami). They were sometimes accessorized, like this one bearing a daishô (katana set) and a fearsome (oni?) face mask.
Waraningyô are also a staple of folk magic alike voodoo dolls, especially those related to eerie uchi no toki mairi ("Ox-hour shrine visits", ie witching hour).
Straw Doll
Yesterday, I made a wara ningyō (a straw doll used for warding off unpleasant things and people.)
I hammered nails into it, because I wanted to curse Eleonora (my former friend who betrayed me.)
In Slovakia, the spring custom was to make a straw doll, dress her up in rags, carry the Morena doll through the village while singing songs. The promenade then goes to nearest river, and throws the burning Morena, goddess of winter, into the waters to be carried away, to welcome the spring, Vesna.