Like every good expat, I do my best to celebrate the 4th of July every year. Fortunately, in Japan, it’s very easy to get fireworks and have outdoor barbecues. Today we had one heck of a downpour that lasted most of the day, so it was no time to be outdoors celebrating, unfortunately. But my wife and I did manage to go out to eat and have a small happy 4th. Even though it was too rainy to light fireworks, I managed to paint some today instead:

Nekomata

This is Nekomata, an evil cat-yokai. It has two tails and all sorts of magic powers, such as the ability to create fireballs, change its shape, and even puppet the dead like some kind of necromancer. They often devour their masters and run the house in place of them, shapeshifting into human form whenever suspicion might be aroused.

Fireworks are a big thing in Japan, and most towns have a few fireworks festivals over the summer. The best time to see them is right now — July and August are the big summer holiday months, full of festivals, parades, outdoor markets, and all sorts of celebratory goodness. A bunch of the yokai in this book will feature festival scenes, this one included. Stay tuned for more!