Figure of a shojo

Figure of a shojo

Japanese, 19th century
Red and black lacquer, gold and silver powder

Our Object of the Month for January is this figure of a shojo, which can be translated as ‘heavy drinker’ – a mythical creature known for its love of sake, or Japanese rice wine. The figure is made from carved wood covered in layers of Japanese lacquer. The hair is coloured with red, and gold and silver powders were sprinkled onto the lacquer surface to create the decoration for the robes and the golden colour of the shojo’s skin. 

Shojo are characterised in Japan as mythical creatures who live in the water and love to drink sake. They are said to have bright red hair, resemble monkeys, and are able to speak like humans. They are a popular motif for decorative items from the Edo period (1612 – 1868), including lacquerware. They are associated with celebration, sake, playfulness, and good fortune. Figures or dolls of shojo were also believed to ward off smallpox, a disease which was particularly common during the Edo period. It is possible that our Object of the Month was made to be placed in the home to protect inhabitants against the disease.

A papier mache amulet of a shojo, Takamatsu, Kagawa prefecture, source

Our Object of the Month is wearing the traditional outfit worn by Noh theatre actors performing as a shojo. The actor would wear a bright red wig, a pair of traditional trousers (hakama) with a jacket (haori). Noh theatre played a part in the popularity of shojo in the Edo period, when this figure was made.

The legend of the shojo, as depicted in Noh plays, tells of a man who wished to make his fortune selling sake. One of his customers reveals himself to be a shojo and asks the man to come to the river to visit him. He does so, and the shojo is delighted that he came to visit – he dances and drinks sake in celebration. The shojo presents the man with the gift of a magical sake jar which is never empty. The man awakes to find that he has been dreaming, but he still has the magical sake jar. Our Object of the Month is holding a golden sake bottle, decorated in a lacquer technique called nashiji, or ‘pear skin’, after the texture of the sprinkled gold flakes. It is likely that it represents the magic sake jar of the legend. The figure is kneeling and holding out his hand in a gesture of presenting the bottle.

Shojo are considered to be yokai, or ‘strange apparitions’. Yokai could be described as ghosts or demons, but they are not usually evil. They tend to be presented more as mischevious and playful, bringing good luck and prosperity to humans rather than misfortune. The eccentric artist Kawanabe Kyosai (1831 – 1889) was particularly fond of painting yokai and referred to himself as a shojo due to his love of drinking. The list of traditional ghosts, yokai, demons, and spirits in Japan is very long. Mythical creatures such as the tengu (a crow demon) and kappa (a water creature) are considered to be yokai. Another interesting kind of folklore spirit often included under the heading of yokai are the tsukumogami – household items that have been used for so long that they acquire a spirit.

Sake is traditionally drunk as part of New Year celebrations, often from red lacquer sake cups. There are a number of these sake cups in the Castle’s collection, some of which can be viewed in the Japanese Room when we re-open in April. Medicinal herbs are added to New Year’s sake to wish for good health for the year ahead. Our Object of the Month would be a perfect New Year’s decoration, representing celebration, good fortune, protection, and health for the coming year.