Nurarihyon

The figure is presented in profile, facing left, with a skin tone of pale beige. He possesses a distinctive, elongated cranium that extends significantly upward and backward. His facial features include narrow, slit-like eyes, a prominent bridge-like nose, and thin lips, with light stubble indicated around the mouth and along the jawline. He is dressed in a simple, greyish-toned kimono or robe tied with a white sash at the waist, rendered with dark, bold ink outlines for the folds of the fabric.

Nurarihyon is the quintessential 'commander of the one hundred demons' (hyakki yakō) in Japanese folklore, often depicted as a sly, elusive spirit who enters homes uninvited. This image is part of the long tradition of yōkai emaki (scroll paintings) that surged in popularity during the Edo period, documenting folkloric entities that reflect both societal anxieties and local supernatural beliefs.