I’m a writer for Gallery Seek and I’m starting an Amavie Challenge!

With the spread of the new coronavirus, “00 Challenge” is becoming popular to cheer people up through social networking sites and to increase the fun at home.
In the midst of the spread of the new coronavirus, “00 Challenges” are becoming popular to cheer people up through social networking sites and to increase the fun at home.

One of them is the “Amabie Challenge.

What is Amabie?
Amabie is a monster that is said to have appeared in the sea in Kumamoto in 1846 and prevented the spread of a plague.

Edo period kawaraban (tile tablet) depicting the specter Amabie (Kyoto University Library collection)

[Legend of Amabie]
In the Edo period (1603-1867), a glowing object appeared every night in the sea in Higo Province (present-day Kumamoto Prefecture).
When a government official went there, he found a mysterious figure emerging from the sea.
I am Amabie,” he said.
He said, “For the next six years, there will be a good harvest everywhere. But if a disease spreads, I will make a picture of my appearance and show it to the people as soon as possible.” He is said to have said these prophetic words, and then disappeared back into the sea.

Gallery Seek is pleased to announce that one of our artists has painted a work using “amabie” as a motif!

Here is Eriko Tomoda’s Amabie Challenge!

Edo period kawaraban (tile tablet) depicting the specter Amabie (Kyoto University Library collection)

[Legend of Amabie]
In the Edo period (1603-1867), a glowing object appeared every night in the sea in Higo Province (present-day Kumamoto Prefecture).
When a government official went there, he found a mysterious figure emerging from the sea.
I am Amabie,” he said.
He said, “For the next six years, there will be a good harvest everywhere. But if there is an epidemic of disease, I will make my image the title: “Pray for the world.

Amabie is said to be closer to a god than a monster because he tries to protect people.

The artist has drawn the figure more as a god praying for the people (the world).

Amabie’s characteristic scales are used as a scale pattern on her kimono, and her three legs are used as three tails in the image of the Ryugunotsukai.
The three legs are also incorporated into the image.

The result is like a character inspired by the “amabie” and created by Tomoda himself, which gives his work a different charm from the usual!

The above works may be exhibited at Gallery Seek in the future. It is said that he dove back into the sea after saying something prophetic like, “I want you to copy it and show it to the people as soon as possible.

Gallery Seek is pleased to announce that one of our artists has painted a work using “amabie” as a motif!

Here is Eriko Tomoda’s Amabie Challenge!