Tsuchigumo, the earth spider, appears in several Japanese legends and she is fantastic. She was one of the main adversaries of Minamoto no Yorimitsu, or Raiko as he is often called. Minamoto no Yorimitsu and his four chief retainers were commissioned to rid the captal of an ever growing population of robbers and bandits. Through a series of exploites he was eventually credited with ridding Kyoto of its yokai (monster) denizens as well. There are two famous stories involving Raiko and the Tsuchigumo. In the first story, which is also a well known Noh play, he is a retainer at the palace in Kyoto and is in bed in his chambers, very ill. Delirious he was plagued night after night by dreams of being attacked by demons. His retainers stood by his bedside to keep watch but they eventually fell asleep and Raiko envisioned himself being bound with silken robes. Crazed he struck out with his short sword and the vision evaporated and a creature fled the room leaving a trail of blood. Raiko and his retainers followed the blood to a large mound of earth where they were met by Tsuchigumo, a giant earth spider. Raiko attacks and kills Tsuchigumo and his sword was given the name Kumokirimaru - spider killer.
In another story Raiko and his men are found following a fiery skull, floating in the air above them. Bound by the emperor to rid Kyoto of evil spirits, they raced after the skull chasing it outside the city to a hill where they were met by an army of gruesome yokai. Apparently the yokai did not take kindly to Raiko's quest. The army was led by an enchantingly beautiful woman and while his retainers began to position themselves against the monsters, Raiko sat motionless, staring at her, dumbstruck. He became aware of soft cobwebs enveloping him and with effort, struck out with his sword. With that thrust the phantom woman dissolved into Tsuchigumo, the giant earth spider, and her legions of yokai immediately vanished. Raiko attacks Tsuchigumo, slicing open her belly in the battle. As she died thousands of skulls poured from her belly, a lifetime of human victims, as well as thousands of vicious baby spiders, all the size of small dogs, which Raiko and his retainers in turn set upon and defeated. Grim.
Submissions may be any size/medium and must be received by September 10th. Please send them to:
Crystal Morey
Gomineko Books
IS Heights #1101
3-32-42 Higashi - Shinagawa
Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
140-0002
Japan
Please include your name, address, email and permission for Gomineko Press to print the illustration in future publications. Please let me know as well if you would like your artwork returned. I will return submissions after the book goes to print.
Here are some Tsuchigumo images for reference....
Kuniyoshi
Yoshitoshi
Kuniyoshi
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