SETO TAISHO

Lore

Seto Taisho is a small yet ill-tempered yokai formed from old pottery. Miscellaneous clay items-teacups, bowls, bottles, and other kitchenware-mysteriously fuse together, creating a humanoid shape that abruptly comes alive.

You might spot this creature in kitchens, pottery shops, or pottery workshops-anywhere large amounts of earthenware accumulate. In an old yokai illustration, it appears as follows: a sake bottle or clay jug serves as the "head," an overturned bowl becomes a makeshift "skirt," a kettle makes up the torso, a stack of saucers forms its arms, and tiny sauce dishes or plates become its legs. The end result is a bizarre ceramic "monster."

True to the spirit of ancient, castoff objects harboring resentment toward humans, Seto Taisho behaves with surprising hostility. Unlike harmless or prankish tsukumogami, it acts like a genuine "general," in some stories even commanding other tsukumogami like troops.

In an abandoned kitchen, shop, or workshop, it can spontaneously assemble from old shards and launch a rampage-smashing pristine plates, cups, and bowls as it goes. Should any human be nearby, Seto Taisho might attack immediately, accompanied by the clattering of its own ceramic pieces. While it may lack the size to pose a true mortal threat, its temperament is such that it can cause real damage or at least a significant fright.