Dawn Images

An exhibition of Japanese artworks titled Yokai Parade: Supernatural Monsters from Japan opened at Alhamra Art Centre, The Mall, on Tuesday.

The event was organised by The Japan Foundation, the Embassy of Japan in Pakistan, the Lahore Arts Foundation Trust and the Lahore Arts Council.

The exhibition, inaugurated by the ambassador of Japan to Pakistan Wada Mitsuhiro, was flanked by distinguished guests and Alhamra officials including Executive Director LAC Sarah Rasheed and Chairman LAC Board of Governors Razi Ahmed.

The Japan Foundation’s travelling exhibition Yokai Parade: Supernatural Monsters from Japan will continue till Oct 3 to unveil a unique glimpse into the rich and vibrant ancient Japanese folklore culture to the viewers in Pakistan.

Yokai are Japanese folkloric imaginary monsters such as demons, and ghosts that have captivated people’s imaginations for centuries and have long been a part of Japanese folklore tales, embodying supernatural powers that invoke senses of mystery, surprise and fear.

The exhibition, curated by Yumoto Koichi, (Director Emeritus of the Yumoto Koichi Memorial, Japan Yokai Museum), features 84 Yokai artworks and focuses on the “popularisation” of these Yokai and invites the viewers to venture into and explore their profound world of mystery.

The exhibition introduces the diverse and imaginative depictions of Yokai throughout Japanese history, from traditional woodblock prints to contemporary interpretations through picture scrolls, multi-coloured Japanese woodblock print, books, as well as a diverse range of media, including toys and films.

In the past, Yokai invoked a sense of mystery, surprise and fear but as technology developed, Yokai gradually evolved from objects of fear to charming and friendly beings and are found in present-day manga comics, movies, anime and character-based games such as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Pokémon (pocket monster).

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Wada expressed his great pleasure to be in Lahore to share the spiritual world of the Japanese people through the exhibition of Yokai.

“In Pakistan, when people think of Japan, they often imagine automobiles, electrical products, and animation. Our objective in presenting this exhibition is to give visitors a glimpse of the distinctive sensibilities of the Japanese people through the unique exhibits,” said the ambassador.

While mentioning the cultural similarities between the two peoples, Wada said the existence of fairies and ghosts is also mentioned in Pakistani folklore as it is prevalent in Japanese society. He invited Pakistani viewers to compare such supernatural beings in Pakistan and Japan through this exhibition.

The ambassador expressed his belief that understanding the cultures which flow through each other’s folklore will enhance mutual understanding between Pakistan and Japan.

Originally published in Dawn, September 25th, 2024