著者

Kabat Adam

出版者

武蔵大学人文学会

雑誌

武蔵大学人文学会雑誌 (ISSN:02865696)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.41, no.1, pp.1-87, 2009

著者

Kabat Adam

出版者

国文学研究資料館

雑誌

国際日本文学研究集会会議録 = PROCEEDINGS OF INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON JAPANESE LITERATURE (ISSN:03877280)

巻号頁・発行日

no.20, pp.73-92, 1997-10-01

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In the summer of 1778, oni musume (literally, "demon-girl") enjoyed a brief popularity as a sideshow attraction in an Edo religious festival. While records of the day attest to oni musume's acclaim with the general public, descriptions of the "demon" itself seem rather bland. In fact, oni musume soon found herself with at least one competitor, a flashy "fake" incorporating all the typical characteristics of a demon.Kibyōshi dealing with oni musume from that period are an interesting mixture of fact and fiction. The illustrations portray the woman probably much as she really was, while the stories reflect contemporary trends. At the same time, elements of oni folklore and literature are worked into the texts. These broader cultural aspects come to the fore in later kibyōshi in which both pictures and text place oni musume firmly within the context of the traditional oni stereotype. The jealous woman who changes into a demon establishes itself as one of the prevailing motifs in oni musume literature.