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{{Short description|Yōkai}} |
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[[File:SekienDodomeki.jpg|thumb|Toriyama Sekien's depiction of a ''dodomeki''.]] |
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A '''''dodomeki''''' (百々目鬼) is a Japanese [[yōkai]] that's depicted as a human woman who is cursed with having long arms covered with hundreds of bird eyes due to her habit of stealing money.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ikebana|first1=Tatchi|title=Japanese Folktale: Dodomeki|url=http://tamamushi.livejournal.com/33932.html|website=LiveJournal}}</ref> It is also called the '''''todomeki'''''. |
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==Mythology== |
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| ⚫ | ''Dodomeki'' were first described by the 18th century Japanese scholar [[Toriyama Sekien]]. The long arms of a dodomeki reflects the Japanese belief that a person with long arms has a tendency to steal. The bird eyes that grows on the dodomeki's arm are a reference to the Japanese ''dōsen'', a copper coin with a hole in the middle of it that's commonly known as the ''chōmoku'' (Bird's eye).<ref>{{cite book|last1=Meyer|first1=Matthew|title=The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons: A Field Guide to Japanese Yokai|page=226}}</ref> |
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The creature first appears in the [[Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki]] by Toriyama Sekien, here he states the origins of the creature are found in the ''Kankan-gaishi'', a book which may never have existed. It may have instead been inspired by the Dōmeki (百目鬼)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dodomeki • A History of Japan - 日本歴史|url=https://historyofjapan.co.uk/wiki/dodomeki/|access-date=2021-09-08|website=A History of Japan - 日本歴史|language=en-GB}}</ref> |
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===Conflict with Fujiwara no Hidesato=== |
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During the [[Heian period]], a [[kuge]] (court bureaucrat) named [[Fujiwara no Hidesato]] had just defeated the rebel [[Taira no Masakado]] and been promoted as the [[Kokushi (official)|kokushi]] of the [[Shimotsuke province]] for his victory. One day while hunting in his newly acquired territory, Hidesato encounters an old man who warned him about a yōkai who's been terrorizing a nearby horse graveyard at night. Hidesato goes to the horse graveyard to investigate and waited until sundown for the yōkai to appear. Once the yŏkai arrived, it revealed itself to be a dodomeki that stood over ten foot tall and had arms covered with hundreds of glowing eyes. Hidesato drew his bow and shot an arrow at the brightest glowing eye, causing the dodomeki to flee and collapse near [[Mount Myōjin]]. When Hidesato later pursued the yōkai, dodomeki emitted a burst of flame from its body and a fume of poisonous gas from its mouth. Outmatched, Hidesato fled from the scene and returned the next day to find the ground being heavily burnt, but no sign of the dodomeki.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dodomeki|url=http://yokai.com/dodomeki/|website=Yoaki.com|accessdate=5 November 2016}}</ref> |
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==Legends== |
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===Meeting Priest Chitoku=== |
===Meeting Priest Chitoku=== |
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Nearly 400 years later during the [[Muromachi period]], a priest named Chitoku was called to investigate a series of unexplained fires that broke out at the temple in a village near Mount Myōjin. He started to notice a woman covered with a robe near the temple whenever he held his sermons and discovered that she was the same ''dodomeki'' that [[Fujiwara no Hidesato]] had fought 400 years earlier. She had come back to suck up her remaining toxic fumes and blood that she lost during her last battle with Hidesato. |
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The temple was built on top of the battle site, so the dodomeki caused a series of fires to scare all the priests away. However, after consistently overhearing Chitoku preaching whenever she walked by the temple, the ''dodomeki'' became enlightened and vowed to never commit any more evil deeds for the rest of her life. |
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==In popular culture== |
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* The Todomeki appears in the ''[[Shin Megami Tensei]]'' franchise. |
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* In the ''[[Yo-kai Watch]]'' franchise, the Todomeki is a black humanoid monster with 13 eyes and horns. It is known as Eyesoar in the English dub. |
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* In the light novel series and later manga adaptation of ''[[Re:Monster]]'', one of the [[hobgoblin]] members of the monster clan evolved into a dodomeki. |
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* The alien Eye Guy from the ''[[Ben 10]]'' series is depicted with long arms covered with eyes. |
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* A version of the dodomeki is featured in the Chilla's Art indie game Hanako. |
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* In the ''[[Onmyōji (video game)|Onmyōji]]'' franchise, Dodomeki (Doumeki in the Japanese version) is a summonable ''[[shikigami]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Maintenance - August 28th |url=https://en.onmyojigame.com/news/official/20180828/27314_772347.html |website=Onmyoji - Official Site |publisher=NetEase, Inc. |access-date=13 September 2022 |date=28 August 2018}}</ref> |
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A character named dodomeki appears in the popular video game series [[Warriors Orochi]], although the character has little to do with the original legend.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dodomeki|url=http://koei.wikia.com/wiki/Dodomeki|website=koei wiki|publisher=wikia|accessdate=5 November 2016}}</ref>{{better source|date=November 2016}} |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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{{Japanese folklore long}} |
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[[Category:18th-century introductions]] |
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[[Category:Yōkai]] |
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[[Category:Female legendary creatures]] |
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[[Category:Legendary creatures with supernumerary body parts]] |
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Latest revision as of 06:40, 8 January 2024
A dodomeki (百々目鬼) is a Japanese yōkai that's depicted as a human woman who is cursed with having long arms covered with hundreds of bird eyes due to her habit of stealing money.[1] It is also called the todomeki.
Mythology[edit]
Dodomeki were first described by the 18th century Japanese scholar Toriyama Sekien. The long arms of a dodomeki reflects the Japanese belief that a person with long arms has a tendency to steal. The bird eyes that grows on the dodomeki's arm are a reference to the Japanese dōsen, a copper coin with a hole in the middle of it that's commonly known as the chōmoku (Bird's eye).[2]
The creature first appears in the Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki by Toriyama Sekien, here he states the origins of the creature are found in the Kankan-gaishi, a book which may never have existed. It may have instead been inspired by the Dōmeki (百目鬼)[3]
Legends[edit]
Meeting Priest Chitoku[edit]
Nearly 400 years later during the Muromachi period, a priest named Chitoku was called to investigate a series of unexplained fires that broke out at the temple in a village near Mount Myōjin. He started to notice a woman covered with a robe near the temple whenever he held his sermons and discovered that she was the same dodomeki that Fujiwara no Hidesato had fought 400 years earlier. She had come back to suck up her remaining toxic fumes and blood that she lost during her last battle with Hidesato.
The temple was built on top of the battle site, so the dodomeki caused a series of fires to scare all the priests away. However, after consistently overhearing Chitoku preaching whenever she walked by the temple, the dodomeki became enlightened and vowed to never commit any more evil deeds for the rest of her life.
In popular culture[edit]
- The Todomeki appears in the Shin Megami Tensei franchise.
- In the Yo-kai Watch franchise, the Todomeki is a black humanoid monster with 13 eyes and horns. It is known as Eyesoar in the English dub.
- In the light novel series and later manga adaptation of Re:Monster, one of the hobgoblin members of the monster clan evolved into a dodomeki.
- The alien Eye Guy from the Ben 10 series is depicted with long arms covered with eyes.
- A version of the dodomeki is featured in the Chilla's Art indie game Hanako.
- In the Onmyōji franchise, Dodomeki (Doumeki in the Japanese version) is a summonable shikigami.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ Ikebana, Tatchi. "Japanese Folktale: Dodomeki". LiveJournal.
- ^ Meyer, Matthew. The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons: A Field Guide to Japanese Yokai. p. 226.
- ^ "Dodomeki • A History of Japan - 日本歴史". A History of Japan - 日本歴史. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
- ^ "Maintenance - August 28th". Onmyoji - Official Site. NetEase, Inc. 28 August 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2022.