No. 1 of 15 · Yokai Personalities
The Life of the Party
Pictures by Nabeta Gyokuei and Toriyama Sekien and Hokusai School
A tanuki rises on its hind legs on the cover, drawn by Nabeta Gyokuei after Toriyama Sekien's Picture Book of Monsters, and inside a birthday wish crowns the recipient the marvelous tanuki who makes every party better. In Japanese folklore this jolly raccoon dog is a shape-shifter said to drum on its round belly on moonlit nights. For the birthday guest everyone hopes will show up.
Add four of your own photos and your own words; we print the card in the US and post it for you.
Inside, it says
TANUKI the life of the party You, of course. Every party gets better the minute you show up. Happy birthday, you marvelous tanuki.
On the back
狸 / TANUKI / the life of the party / The tanuki, the Japanese raccoon dog, is a jolly shape-shifter of folklore. Old tales say it drums on its round belly on moonlit nights, and it often wears a leaf on its head to work its magic.
A card for
More from Yokai Personalities
Another Year, Another Tailby Masazumi Ryusai and Katsushika Hokusai
Sunshine Through Every Showerby Tachibana Minko
My Deepest Bowby an unknown Edo-period Japanese illustrator and Masazumi Ryusai
Every Hero Has a Tenguby Katsushika Hokusai
Come Back Thunderingby Satake Eikai
Easier with Twoby an unknown Japanese painter
A Thousand Moodsby Ohara Koson
Oni: Bad Luck Out, Good Luck Inby an unknown Otsu-e painter