The Okuzaki Yōkai

The image is a monochrome woodblock-style print depicting a supernatural Japanese creature known as an Okuzaki. The entity has a hunched, ethereal posture, with long, heavy hair covering its body and a pale, distressed facial expression. Below the floating figure, a wooden-handled spade lies broken or discarded amidst some rope and sparse vegetation, suggesting a scene of abandonment or misfortune related to rural labor or burial.

The Okuzaki is a yokai associated with the restless spirits of the deceased, particularly those linked to tragic ends in rural settings; this image draws from Edo-period Japanese folklore and collections of yōkai illustrations.