Datsue-ba – Japan

Datsue-ba – Japan
Datsue-ba (the old lady who undresses) is a demon who looks like an old lady standing on the banks of the Sanzu River in the Buddhist underworld. By tradition, a deceased person can cross the river at three different points depending on the life he lived, paying a passage fee of six coins to the ferryman. If the soul supposed to pass through is that of an adult, Datsue-ba tears off the sinner's clothes. His companion, the old demon Keneō, then hangs these shreds on a branch which, by bending over the water of the river, shows in the reflection the gravity of the adult's sins. If the sinner arrives naked, Datsue-ba will flay him. Various levels of punishment are then applied from this stage. For a thief, for example, she will break his fingers then, with the help of her companion, tie his head at the level of his feet. According to some beliefs, Datsue-ba protects children suffering from respiratory illnesses.
REGION: Japan
MATERIAL: Wood
PERIOD: 19th century
LENGTH: cm

(Base)
Inventory number: AS054