The Hour of the Ox

The Hour of the Ox is a painting series of yokai–Japanese mythological creatures and spirits. In 2016, Cori was taking part in an installation at X Gallery. The theme of the art show was dreams, and she asked me–Jami–for ideas.

I immediately thought of yokai, for these creatures come out at night, to haunt, to lament, to cause mischief. Several are explicitly dream-related. I’ve been researching yokai for several years as a part of my novel-in-progress, The Sin-Eaters, and I spent four months in Japan learning more about these folktales and myths. I was extremely excited to have Cori render them in her style.

(This page is under construction; more information on each yokai will be added later.)

Bakekujira
The ghost whale. Haunts the seas of guilt-ridden fishing villages.

Baku
The dream-eater. A chimera who will swallow your nightmares.

Kitsune
Ancient fox spirit. Accompanied by globes of light.

Rokurokubi
Apparitions that, in daytime, seem exactly like normal women. But at night, their heads can roam around separately from their sleeping bodies (either because of their necks stretching or because of the heads detaching completely). These heads often get up to mischief.

BakekujiraThe ghost whale. Haunts the seas of guilt-ridden fishing villages.

BakuThe dream-eater. A chimera who will swallow your nightmares.

KitsuneAncient fox spirit. Accompanied by globes of light.

Rokurokubi Apparitions that, in daytime, seem exactly like normal women. But at night, their heads can roam around separately from their sleeping bodies (either because of their necks stretching or because of the heads detaching completely). These heads often get up to mischief.

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Bakekujira
The ghost whale. Haunts the seas of guilt-ridden fishing villages.

Baku
The dream-eater. A chimera who will swallow your nightmares.

Kitsune
Ancient fox spirit. Accompanied by globes of light.

Rokurokubi
Apparitions that, in daytime, seem exactly like normal women. But at night, their heads can roam around separately from their sleeping bodies (either because of their necks stretching or because of the heads detaching completely). These heads often get up to mischief.