Gashadokuro Artwork

Japanese artwork representing warriors and gashadokuro

In Japanese folklore, the gashadokuro is a spirit taking the form of a giant skeleton. This yōkai wanders the countryside at night, looking for lonely travelers to rip off their heads and drink their blood. This gashadokuro comes from the triptych of artwork prints by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Takiyasha the witch and the skeleton ghost, dating from 1844 and featuring a princess invoking this yōkai in order to protect the palace from her enemies.