Toshidon (年殿 or トシドン, Toshidon, Year Lord) is a humanoid kami.
Appearance[]
Toshidon is a Tengu-like kami, with purplish skin, long, blonde hair that covers his eyes, long, pointy ears or horns and nose, and a wide smile bearing sharp teeth. He wears a yellow robe with swirly, brown patterns.
History[]
Video Games[]
- Toshidon appears in GeGeGe no Kitarō: Yōkai Yokochō as an A-Rank yōkai.
Legend[]
Illustration of Toshidon
Toshidon, also known as Toshi-Jisan (年爺さん, Old Man of the Year), is a kami from Sese no Ura, Shimokoshiki-Shima, Satsumasendai City, Kagoshima Prefecture. He usually lives in Heaven, but on New Year's Eve, he descends to the mountains on a horse with a severed head, rings a bell, and visits houses, threatening and punishing naughty children. He then gives them a special type of mochi called "Toshimochi (年餅, New Year's rice cake)" before leaving. It is said that one cannot grow older without receiving a Toshimochi, so it is customary to be served on on New Year's.
The legend of Toshidon inspired a ritual held every New Year's Eve, where villagers wear Tengu masks and mino coats, and knock on others houses to scare children if they're naughty, or reward them if they're nice. Similar kami and yōkai from other regions serves the same purpose as Toshidon such as Amamehagi, Suneka, and Namahage. Toshidon's steed also resembles the Kubinashi-Uma that Yagyō-san rides in certain legends.