Unveiling Heiroku: The Mysterious Wand-Waving Yokai
Japan’s folklore is a deep, misty forest filled with creatures that range from the terrifying to the mischievous. As a traveler exploring the cultural depths of Japan, you will inevitably encounter the concept of Yōkai—supernatural entities that explain the unexplainable. While many are familiar with the Kappa or the Tengu, there exists a stranger, more enigmatic class of spirits found in the ancient picture scrolls of the Edo period. One such creature is Heiroku (幣六).
Heiroku is not a monster that jumps out of the bushes to startle travelers; rather, he is a figure of eerie ceremony, a staple of the legendary Night Parade of One Hundred Demons. To understand Heiroku is to understand the Japanese intersection of religion, humor, and the supernatural.
Origins of the Red-Clad Spirit
The origins of Heiroku are visual rather than oral. Unlike yōkai born from specific ghost stories or warnings to children, Heiroku primarily emerges from the emaki (picture scrolls) of the Edo period (1603–1867). He is most famously depicted in the Hyakkai Zukan (The Illustrated Volume of a Hundred Demons) by the artist Sawaki Suushi.
The name “Heiroku” offers a clue to his identity. The character “Hei” (幣) refers to the nusa or gohei—a wooden wand decorated with two shide (zigzag paper streamers) used in Shinto rituals to purify or bless. The suffix “Roku” (六) is a common ending for male names in pre-modern Japan. Therefore, his name essentially personifies the object he carries.
Scholars of folklore believe Heiroku was created as a satire. During the Edo period, artists often drew yōkai to mock social hierarchies or religious hypocrisy. A creature that looks vaguely human, waving a sacred purification wand while marching with demons, suggests a caricature of a corrupted priest or a visual pun on empty rituals.
The Legend: A Marcher in the Night Parade
Heiroku is inextricably linked to the Hyakki Yagyō, or the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons. Legend has it that on warm summer nights, the barrier between the spirit world and the human world grows thin. During these times, a chaotic procession of yōkai marches through the streets.
In these depictions, Heiroku appears as a man—often with red skin or wearing red clothing—wearing a traditional eboshi (courtier’s cap) and carrying the sacred gohei wand. However, his behavior is far from holy. He is often shown waving the wand wildly, not to purify, but to spread chaos or perhaps to lead the other demons.
There are no specific legends of Heiroku attacking humans or possessing victims. Instead, he represents an atmospheric horror. He is the subversion of safety; the tool meant to drive away evil spirits (the wand) is now being wielded by a monster. Seeing Heiroku in the Night Parade signifies that the normal order of the world has been inverted—the sacred has become profane.
Modern Culture and Representations
While Heiroku is not a household name globally, he remains a recognized figure among yōkai enthusiasts and in Japanese pop culture. His unique design—the red aesthetic and the distinct Shinto wand—makes him visually memorable.
In modern media, Heiroku often appears as a background character in manga and anime that focus on the supernatural. Most notably, he appears in the universe of GeGeGe no Kitaro by Shigeru Mizuki, the manga artist responsible for reviving modern interest in yōkai. In these iterations, Heiroku is sometimes portrayed as a trickster, using his wand to confuse travelers or hide other yōkai from human sight.
His image is also preserved in contemporary Yōkai art festivals, where enthusiasts dress up as demons to recreate the Night Parade in modern streets, celebrating the quirky creativity of Japanese history.
Traveler’s Tips: Where to Find the Spirit of Heiroku
If you are fascinated by Heiroku and the world of Japanese monsters, there are specific destinations you must add to your itinerary:
- Ichijo-dori, Kyoto (Yokai Street): This shopping street is believed to be the path of the original Night Parade. The local shopkeepers have embraced this legend, decorating their storefronts with handmade yōkai monsters. You can find statues and images of various spirits here, and possibly spot a Heiroku hiding near a shrine entrance.
- Mizuki Shigeru Road (Sakaiminato, Tottori): This town is dedicated to the creator of GeGeGe no Kitaro. The street is lined with over 170 bronze statues of yōkai. It is the ultimate pilgrimage for folklore lovers.
- The Miyoshi Mononoke Museum (Hiroshima): This museum houses a vast collection of historical yōkai scrolls and artifacts. It is one of the best places to see the original Edo-period depictions of creatures like Heiroku.
Sources & Further Reading
For those wishing to delve deeper into the historical texts that birthed these creatures, consider exploring the following:
- Hyakkai Zukan (The Illustrated Volume of a Hundred Demons): Created by Sawaki Suushi in 1737, this is one of the primary visual sources for Heiroku.
- Gazu Hyakki Yagyō (The Illustrated Night Parade of a Hundred Demons): The seminal work by Toriyama Sekien, which cataloged and standardized many yōkai appearances.
- Nihon Shoki & Kojiki: While Heiroku appears later in history, these ancient chronicles provide the context for the Shinto rituals and the significance of the gohei wand that Heiroku wields.