InJapanese folklore,tōfu-kozō (Japanese:豆腐小僧, literally "tofu boy") is ayōkai that looks like a child holding a tray oftōfu. It frequently appears in thekusazōshi,kibyōshi andkaidan books from theEdo period,[1] and from theBakumatsu to theMeiji period, people have become familiar with them as a character illustrated on toys[2] such askites,sugoroku, andkaruta.[3][4] They can also be seen insenryū,kyōka,e-hon banzuke (pamphlets that introduce the contents of ashibai[5]), andnishiki-e, etc.[3]
They are generally depicted wearingbamboo andkasa on their heads, and possessing a round tray with amomiji-dōfu on it (atōfu with amomiji (autumn leaf) shape pressed into it[6]). The patterns on the clothing they wear, for the sake of warding offsmallpox, include lucky charms such asharukoma (春駒),daruma dolls,horned owls, swinging drums, and red fish, and sometimes lattice patterns of the child that shows its status as a child can also be seen.[4]
In the originalkusazōshi, they did not possess any special powers, and they often appear as servants that bringtōfu andsake here and there in the town,[4] and it is also changed insenryū such poems like "tōfu-kozō are servant monsters (豆腐小僧ハ化ものゝ小間使ひ)."[3] With regards to humans, they sometimes follow humans on rainy nights, but they don't do anything particularly bad, and they usually don't make humans their opponents, and they are frequently depicted as amicable, timid, and humorous characters.[4][7] Far from doing anything bad, there are also examples where they are teased by otheryōkai for being a weakyōkai.[8] In theHeisei era and afterwards, there is also the interpretation that they are appropriate as comforting characters.[8] Also, in thekibyōshi the "Bakemono Shiuchi Hyōbanki (妖怪仕内評判記)" byKoikawa Harumachi from theAn'ei era,weasels turn intotōfu-kozō,[3] and in later books, their father has been specified to bemikoshi-nyūdō and their mother has been specified to berokurokubi.[7][9]
In literature from theShōwa andHeisei eras and beyond, it is frequently written that they would appear on rainy nights, and recommend the relish oftōfu to people passing by, but halfway into eating it amold would grow.[10][11] However, according to theyōkai researchersNatsuhiko Kyogoku andBintarō Yamaguchi, this theory was created after the Shōwa era in books for children.[12][13]
On theMizuki Shigeru Road inSakaiminato,Tottori Prefecture, the hometown of theyōkai painter andmanga artistShigeru Mizuki, next to the restaurant "Tōfuya (東府屋)," there is a statue of atōfu-kozō based on one of Mizuki's illustrations.[14]
Thetōfu-kozō has been observed to be ayōkai that suddenly appeared in the literature of theAn'ei era (1772–1781), and earned great popularity as a character in thekusazōshi andkibyōshi,kaidan books, and toys of that time, a popularity that continued into theMeiji period.[1][15] The aforementioned "Bakemono Shiuchi Hyōbanki" was observed to be their first appearance, and there have been no confirmations that the tōfu-kozō appeared in any earlier literature.[3] According to thetōfu cook bookTofu Hyakuchin published inTenmei 2 (1782), it was made into a famousyōkai that appeared in humorous literature andmanga e-hon such askusazōshi andkibyōshi.[9]
Whiletōfu-kozō may have originated in contemporary urban publications, its popularity may have been drawn from the food culture of the Edo period itself.[16] During the Edo period, nutrient-richtōfu was a popular food choice amongst the public.[8] There are several examples like how inkabuki,kabuki actors like Tokuji Ōtani played the role oftōfu-kozō and how they are also depicted inukiyo-e.[4][7]
In the literature of the early Edo period, there are manykozō (boy monks) with large heads, and in the aforementioned "Bakemono Shiuchi Hyōbanki", it stated "the monster calledtōfu-kozō has a large head (豆腐小僧といふ化物は頭大ぶりにて)", and in thekibyōshi"Bakemono Chakutōchō (夭怪着到牒)", they were stated to be "large-headedkozō", thus putting a big emphasis on their large heads.[3] In the late Edo period, they were often depicted with one eye.[1][7] Inkyōkae-hon such as theKyōka Hyaku Monogatari, they can also be seen without any particular traits that make them look any different from a human.[9]
Since they have not been confirmed to appear infolkloristics material such as folklore,kaidan collections such ashyakumonogatari, or legends,[3] they are seen as ayōkai created from the Edo period.[9][17] They can generally be seen to be made in the middle of the Edo period or afterwards whentōfu shops or sellers became common, but the particulars of how they were made and how they suddenly disappeared has not come to light.[4]
In thekusazōshi like what were previously mentioned, they were frequently treated as servants, but there were alsoyōkai that appeared earliest that were also servants such as thehitotsume-kozō, theamefurikozō, thetanuki, and thekappa, and since thehitotsume-kozō and thekappa have been depicted possessingtōfu, there is the theory that theseyōkai are related to thetōfu-kozō[18] as well as the theory that thetōfu-kozō was based on theseyōkai.[4][7] In "Bake no Kawa Daikoden (化皮太鼓伝)" published inTenpō 4 (1833), there was atanuki yōkai that wore akasa wearing clothes that hadtōfu depicted on them, giving an example that hints at the existence oftōfu-kozō.[3][19]
Also, whenHyakumonogatari Kaidankai was becoming popular, there is the theory that they were made by individuals who were requested to tellkaidan stories and aboutyōkai that was not known throughout society yet,[20] as well as the view that inHasegawa Settan's paintings in theEdo Meisho Zue, sincetōfu sellers were depicted wearingkasa, thattōfu-kozō are the result of changingtōfu sellers in plain clothing into children with gaudy clothing.[4] Furthermore, tōfu-kozō can be seen to be related totōfu shops in the Edo period, there are also the theories that they were born from some incident related totōfu shops,[3] or that they were a character made up by thetōfu business in order to promote their sales.[9]
Based on the folk belief thathitotsume-kozō liketōfu, and since there was the card inyōkai karuta called "Boy with His Tongue Out Licking aTōfu (した出し小僧のとうふなめ)," as well assenryū poems such as "behind thetōfu shop there is a one-eyed boy (豆腐やのうらは一つ目小僧也,to-o-fu-ya-no/u-ra-ha-hi-to-tsu-me/ko-zo-u na-ri)"[21] and "tōfu-kozō are one-dice-eyed fellows wearingkasa (笠のうち眼は一ツ賽の目の奴んも化す豆腐小僧は)," it has been pointed out thattōfu-kozō would thus be no more than an alternate name forhitotsume-kozō,[22] but since there are manytōfu-kozō that don't have one eye, there is also the claim denying that they are the same ashitotsume-kozō,[3] and thattōfu-kozō andhitotsume-kozō were created separately.[23] In any case, there are many parts that are still unclear, and there is still research going on about howtōfu-kozō developed.[3]