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Yokai Gallery

妖怪 (ようかい)

All these are statues of Yokai found along the Mizuki Shigeru Road in Sakaiminato.

GeGeGe no Kitaro, Sakaiminato, Tottori

The first is the most famous of all the manga characters created by Shigeru, GeGeGe no Kitaro, star of many manga, animes and movies. Born in a graveyard from a father who is an eyeball, Kitaro is 300 years old. He is missing one eye and so his hair usually covers half his face.

Kappa Yokai, Sakaiminato, Tottori

The second are Kappa, known as water-sprites in English. There are stories of kappa from all over Japan. They live in irrigation ditches, wells, ponds, and rivers. Known to drown children, kappa can be appeased by writing the name of your child on a piece of kappazushi, a type of sushi made using cucumbers, and throwing it into the river and the kappa won't take your child.

Gangikozo

The third is a Gangikozo, a fish-eating water monster possibly related to the kappa.

The fourth is a Sazaeoni, literally Turban Snail Ogre. Sazaeoni are created when a turban snail reaches the age of 30. Sazaeoni, like kappa and kitsune among others, are of a class of creatures known as obake, and have the ability to transform into the appearance of humans.

Sazaeoni

An old story tells of pirates who rescued a beautiful young woman from the sea. After having sex with her, the woman (an oni) cut off the pirates' testicles and when they threw her back into the sea, she transformed again into her true form.

The yokai Ratman

The last is another invention of Shigeru, Nezumi Otoko, half human, half yokai, known as Ratman. He assists Kitaro in many of his adventures and has not taken a bath in 300 years, so is known for his smell.

More than 100 Yokai statues can be found along the Mizuki Shigeru Road in Sakaiminato.

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Mizuki Shigeru Road & GeGeGe Kitaro

水木しげる記念館

Mizuki Shigeru is a well known manga author known mostly as the creator of the popular GeGeGe Kitaro series of manga, TV shows and full-length movies. His work is populated with dozens of Yokai, supernatural beings that include monsters, ghosts, and goblins.

Mizuki Shigeru Road, Tottori

Born in Sakaiminato, Tottori Prefecture, his home town has honored him (and made a substantial income from tourism) with his own museum and street.

Mizuki Shigeru Road

The Mizuki Shigeru Road runs 800 metres from the main station to the Mizuki Shigeru Memorial Museum, and along both sides of the street are more than 100 sculptures of many of his yokai.

Mizuki Shigeru Road

As well as the bronze sculptures, yokai appear everywhere along the road. The street lights are giant eyeballs, the eyeball being Kitaro's father, the trains on the Sakai Line are decorated with yokai on the inside and out, there is a Yokai Shrine, and many of the gift shops along the road have their own yokai art adorning them.

Mizuki Shigeru Road

The giftshops sell just about any imaginable product with yokai designs.
The Museum itself has a large collection of Shigeru's material and includes 3 screens showing videos of animated yokai.

Mizuki Shigeru Road

The museum is open 9 – 5 (closed Tuesdays. If a National Holiday falls on a Tuesday then the next day is closed)
Adults 700 yen
Junior High & High School students 500yen
Elementary school students 300 yen
Mitsuki Shigeru Memorial Museum (in Japanese)
Tel: 0859 42 2171

Sakaiminato is located at the northern tip of Yumigahama Peninsular in west Tottori Prefecture, and is one of Japan's most important fishing ports.

It is served by nearby Yonago Airport, and is the terminal of the JR Sakai line which runs from Yonago.


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Yumeminato Tower Sakaiminato

夢みなとタワー

At only 43 metres in height, the Yumeminato Tower is dwarfed by most of Japan's observation towers, but with good weather the 360 degree view takes in Mount Daisen, the tallest mountain in the Chugoku region, Miho Bay, and the Nakauma Inland Sea with Daikon Island. If the weather is not so clear then the interior structure of the tower is fascinating in itself.

Yumeminato Tower, Sakaiminato, Tottori

Included in the entrance to the tower is entrance to the Pacific Rim Exchange Village, a kind of museum focusing on the traditional cultures of Japan's neighbors, China, Korea, Taiwan, Mongolia etc.

Yumeminato Tower, Sakaiminato

The highlight for me is the large yurt that one can go inside. Mindful of the Japanese penchant for cosplay, there are traditional costumes from the different countries that can be tried on and be photographed in.

Yumeminato Tower, Sakaiminato

Also included in the admission fee is entrance to an exhibition of monsters, ghouls, and other supernatural beings that populate the work of manga author Mizuki Shigeru who was born in Sakaiminato.

Yumeminato Tower, Sakaiminato

Yumeminato Tower is open from 9 to 6 (April – Sep) and 9 to 5 (Oct – Mar)
Adults 300 yen, kids 150 yen.

Yumeminato Tower is closed on the 2nd Wednesday of each month.

Sakaiminato is located at the northern tip of Yumigahama Peninsular in west Tottori Prefecture, and is one of Japan's most important fishing ports. The fishing boat arrested recently by the Russians came from Sakaiminato.

Yumeminato Tower, Sakaiminato

Sakaiminato is served by nearby Yonago Airport, and is the terminal of the JR Sakai line which runs from Yonago.

Yumeminato Tower (in Japanese)
Tel: 0859 47 3800

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