YOKAI are supernatural creatures in Japanese folklore, often depicted as mysterious, shape-shifting entities with supernatural powers.
Japanese people have tried to grasp unexplainable phenomena or entities beyond their common sense by labeling them as “YOKAI”. I believe that, because the unknown can be frightening, they attempted to accept these ambiguous entities by assigning names based on their characteristics—whether mysterious or comforting. Neither inherently good nor evil, neither right nor left, neither of this world nor the afterlife, the existence known as “YOKAI” might serve as a catalyst to restore balance in this world increasingly divided day by day.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Curator Mr. Yonehara, who provided the theme for this exhibition.