Spiders, Man!

I have to admit that I scammed this one from the InterWEB because I needed a Spider-Yokai and I didn't have one handy. This is called The Earth Spider Generates Monsters at the Mansion of Lord Minamoto Yorimitsu and is fortunately by Kuniyoshi.

Raiko Tormented by the Earth Spider (Note: Earth Spider = Tsuchigumo) can be seen here:

Two weeks ago a friend and I tracked down Sendai's very own Spider-Yokai, Kashikobuchi. I saw a few spiders at the Shrine monument, none of them Yokai-sized, though fairly big.

Not too easy to see so I drew a ring around it. 

This is what Wiki has to say about Kashikobuchi:

"Various areas have a legend about people being dragged into a waterfall by a jorōgumo as well as the use of a tree stump as decoy. In the legend of Kashikobuchi, Sendai, a voice was heard saying, "clever, clever", ("kashikoi, kashikoi"), after the tree stump was pulled into the water. The legend is thought to be the origin of the name Kashikobuchi or "clever abyss". The jorōgumo of Kashikobuchi was worshipped for warding off water disasters, and even now there are monuments and torii that are engraved with "Myōhō Kumo no Rei" (妙法蜘蛛之霊)."

Be sure to click that link to learn more about the main Yokai-Spider, Jorōgumo. 

Here some other photos of the monument.

Here are some alternative angles of the photos courtesy of one of my roving reporters.

For more about the Kashikobuchi and a translation of the Monument, check out this.

Yesterday morning, I started the day by watching a truly good bad movie called  The Giant Spider (2013). No cast of note, shoddy effects, insipid dialogue and a goofy looking spider make it a treat to watch. 

Best part of the movie, has to be its theme by The Night Hobs.

Speaking of Spiders, here is Japanese Supaida-Man.

And another Japanese-produced Spider-Man.