Riding Vegetables to Heaven

 

    One thing that has always intrigued me were the small offerings and trinkets put in front of the family home's shrine (also known as a butsudan). When a close family relative died, I noticed something strange. A small eggplant and cucumber with legs had been placed in front the family shrine. Curious about the reason, I learned all about them. 

    These are known as shouryouma, or spirit horses. When the dead cross over, of course they need to ride something. Legend says they ride cows and horses. The eggplant represents a fat cow, and and the cucumber represents a fast horse. 

    When the families come to pray for their dead ancestors on the yearly Obon holiday, their ancestors come back to the butsudan to greet them. So why a cow and a horse? Well, when the spirit is coming to visit the family, they want them to come swiftly to spend lots of time. So they ride a swift spirit horse (the sleek cucumber). When the holiday is coming to an end, and the spirit must return to the spirit world, they wish it to depart slowly, so as to spend as much time as possible with them. As such, the spirit will ride a fat, slow cow (the eggplant) back and take it's time. 

     The physical depiction as well as the 'crossing and bleeding of dimensions' and what not spurred me to do a quick little mock up. Expect more from these two little characters in the future.

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