The Spirits of the Jigoku-Zoshi: A Journey into Japan’s Buddhist Hells
When travelers imagine traditional Japanese art, minds often drift to the serene ink wash paintings of mountains, delicate cherry blossoms, or the Great Wave off Kanagawa. However, buried within the archives of Japan’s National Treasures lies a darker, more visceral artistic tradition: the Jigoku-zoshi, or “Hell Scrolls.” These 12th-century masterpieces do not depict tranquility; instead, they offer a grotesque and fascinating window into the medieval Japanese imagination regarding the afterlife, filled with tormented souls and the terrifying spirits that punish them.
Introduction
The Jigoku-zoshi are a set of illustrated handscrolls created during the late Heian and early Kamakura periods. They serve as a stark reminder of the spiritual anxieties that plagued medieval Japan. Unlike the Western depiction of a singular Hell ruled by a central devil, the Buddhist outlook presented in these scrolls illustrates a complex bureaucracy of pain, divided into various sub-hells tailored to specific sins. For the cultural traveler, understanding the spirits of the Hell Scrolls provides a unique lens into the Japanese psyche, moral code, and the roots of the supernatural horror that permeates modern anime and manga.
Origins of the Nightmare
To understand the Jigoku-zoshi, one must understand the era of their creation. The late 12th century was a time of political upheaval and civil war (the Genpei War). In Buddhism, this period was believed to be the beginning of Mappo, or the “Latter Day of the Law,” an age of degeneration where enlightenment was nearly impossible to achieve.
Fearing for their souls, the aristocracy commissioned these scrolls based largely on the Ojo Yoshu (The Essentials of Rebirth in the Pure Land), a seminal text written by the monk Genshin in 985 AD. Genshin vividly described the six realms of existence, with a heavy emphasis on the torments of hell to scare believers into piety. The artists of the Jigoku-zoshi took these textual descriptions and translated them into the Yamato-e (classic Japanese painting) style, creating a stark contrast between the elegance of the brushwork and the gruesome nature of the subject matter.
The Legend: Spirits and Punishments
The spirits depicted in the Jigoku-zoshi are not merely ghosts; they are the jailers of the underworld, often referred to as Gokusotsu. These demonic figures are frequently depicted with animal heads, bulging eyes, and muscular, red or blue bodies, wielding iron clubs or grinding tools.
The Hell of Measures
One of the most famous fragments depicts the “Hell of Measures.” Here, spirits force sinners who cheated customers with false weights during their lives to carry heavy, red-hot iron chests. The tormentors in this scene are depicted with a ruthless efficiency, appearing almost bureaucratic in their administration of pain.
The Iron Mortar
Another harrowing section illustrates the “Hell of the Iron Mortar.” Sinners who committed theft are ground into a bloody pulp by massive oni (ogres) turning a giant mortar. What makes the Jigoku-zoshi spiritually terrifying is the concept of cyclic revival; the spirits recite a magical incantation to revive the crushed bodies back to health, only to grind them down again immediately.
The Flaming Rooster
Perhaps the most surreal spirit is found in the “Hell of the Iron Cock.” This is not a humanoid demon, but a giant rooster made of fire and iron. It is said to peck at the eyes of those who abused animals, a testament to the Buddhist precept against killing living beings.
Modern Culture and Influence
The legacy of the Hell Scroll spirits is undeniably present in contemporary Japanese culture. The imagery established in these scrolls defined the look of the Japanese Yomi (underworld) for centuries.
In modern media, the influence is visible in series like Hozuki’s Coolheadedness (Hozuki no Reitetsu), a dark comedy about the bureaucratic workings of Hell, and the smash hit Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba), where the aesthetics of the demons often borrow from traditional Buddhist iconography. The concept of the “red ogre” and “blue ogre” seen in festivals and children’s stories also traces its visual lineage back to these medieval depictions.
Traveler’s Tips: Viewing the Scrolls
For those hoping to view the Jigoku-zoshi, a bit of planning is required. Because they are designated National Treasures and are incredibly fragile, the original scrolls are not on permanent display.
- Nara National Museum: This museum houses one of the most famous versions of the scrolls. They hold annual exhibitions (often in autumn) of their treasures, which is your best chance to see the originals.
- Tokyo National Museum: Another version resides here. Check their schedule for special thematic exhibitions regarding Heian art or Buddhist scripture.
- Digital Archives: Both museums offer high-resolution digital archives online (e-Museum), allowing you to zoom in on the gruesome details that might be missed behind glass.
- Hell Tour: For a more atmospheric experience, visit Osorezan (Mount Osore) in Aomori Prefecture. Known as the entrance to the afterlife, the landscape features volcanic rock and sulfuric vents that physically resemble the hells painted in the scrolls.
Sources & Further Reading
To deepen your understanding of the spiritual context behind these scrolls, the following historical and religious texts are essential:
- Ojo Yoshu (The Essentials of Rebirth in the Pure Land): The primary source text by the monk Genshin that inspired the visual imagery of the scrolls.
- Nihon Shoki (The Chronicles of Japan): While primarily Shinto, it provides the foundational mythology of the land of the dead (Yomi).
- Jigoku-zoshi (Tokyo National Museum & Nara National Museum Editions): Reviewing the museum catalogs provides the best art-historical context.