The Cucumber Horse: Understanding Japan’s Shoryo Uma
If you visit Japan in mid-August, wandering through the aisles of a local supermarket or glancing at a display in a traditional home entrance, you might encounter a peculiar sight: a cucumber pierced with four disposable chopsticks, standing like a stick-legged animal. Beside it often sits an eggplant, similarly fashioned.
These are not children’s art projects or avant-garde cuisine. They are Shoryo Uma (Spirit Horses), a poignant and central element of Obon, Japan’s Festival of the Dead. For the uninitiated traveler, the image of a cucumber horse is whimsical, but for the Japanese, it is a vehicle for the souls of the departed.
Origins of the Vegetable Vehicles
The tradition of creating animals out of vegetables belongs to the Obon festival, an annual Buddhist event that honors the spirits of one’s ancestors. Obon typically takes place from August 13th to 16th (though in some regions like Tokyo, it is observed in July, adhering to the lunar calendar).
The custom of the Shoryo Uma is thought to have solidified during the Edo period (1603–1867), primarily in the Kanto region, though it is now recognized nationwide. It represents a physical manifestation of the connection between the living and the dead. While Obon has roots in the Indian Buddhist Sutra Ullambana, the specific practice of making cucumber horses is a uniquely Japanese adaptation, blending Buddhist philosophy with indigenous agricultural gratitude. The choice of summer vegetables—cucumbers and eggplants—reflects the harvest season, utilizing what was readily available in rural Japan to create sacred vessels.
The Legend: Why a Horse and a Cow?
The symbolism behind the Shoryo Uma is deeply touching and speaks to the Japanese sentiment regarding family.
The Cucumber Horse (Kyuri no Uma)
The cucumber represents a horse. Because the cucumber is slender and slightly curved, it resembles a swift animal. During Obon, families wish for their ancestors’ spirits to return home from the afterlife as quickly as possible. The “horse” allows the spirits to gallop back to the world of the living without delay to enjoy the reunion.
The Eggplant Cow (Nasu no Ushi)
The eggplant, with its round, stocky shape, represents a cow or ox. When the festival concludes and it is time for the spirits to return to the netherworld, families wish for them to leave slowly. They want the ancestors to linger as long as possible. Furthermore, the cow is strong; it is believed to carry the offerings (food, gifts, and luggage) back to the spirit world comfortably and safely.
Together, these two vegetable figures encapsulate the bittersweet nature of grief: “Come home quickly, but please don’t leave us too soon.”
Modern Culture and Creative Twists
In contemporary Japan, the tradition of the Cucumber Horse remains strong, though it has evolved. In the weeks leading up to Obon, supermarkets sell “Shoryo Uma kits” containing the vegetables, pre-cut hemp reeds (ogara), and chopsticks.
However, the internet age has birthed a subculture of “Creative Shoryo Uma.” While traditionalists stick to the simple chopstick legs, artistic types have begun carving intricate shapes. It is not uncommon to see photos on Japanese social media of cucumbers carved into racing cars, motorcycles, or even airplanes—the logic being that a modern ancestor might prefer a Ferrari to a horse to get home even faster!
Despite these modern twists, the core sentiment remains unchanged: a display of love and remembrance for those who have passed.
Traveler’s Tips: Experiencing Obon
If you are traveling to Japan during August, here is how you can respectfully observe this culture:
- Look, Don’t Touch: If you stay at a Ryokan (traditional inn) or visit a local friend’s house, you may see these displayed on the Butsudan (family altar) or in the Genkan (entrance). Treat them with the same respect you would a religious icon.
- Visit Temples: While the vegetable animals are mostly a domestic tradition, many temples hold lantern festivals (Manto E) and Bon Odori dances during this time. The atmosphere is festive, not somber.
- Timing: The peak dates are usually August 13th (Welcoming Fires – Mukaebi) and August 16th (Sending Fires – Okuribi).
- No Souvenirs: Do not attempt to take these vegetables as souvenirs or eat them. After the festival, they are traditionally floated down a river or buried, as they are considered to contain the spirits (or at least the energy of the ritual). Today, for environmental reasons, they are often disposed of ceremonially at home.
Sources & Further Reading
To understand the deeper context of Japanese spiritualism and ancestor worship, the following historical texts and concepts provide essential background:
- The Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan): While the cucumber horse is a later folk invention, the foundational concepts of distinct realms for the living and the dead are recorded in these 8th-century chronicles.
- The Ullambana Sutra: The primary Buddhist text that serves as the origin story for Obon, detailing the monk Mokuren’s attempt to save his mother from the realm of hungry ghosts.
- Kunio Yanagita’s Folklore Studies: For those interested in the transition of agricultural tools into spiritual objects in Japanese history.