Thanks so much for the amazing Kirin submissions. Once again the artwork sent it was absolutely inspired. For the fourth installment of the Japanese Mythological Creatures series we are going to return back to realm of the wicked and spotlight a wonderfully malevolent monster - the Nue. The Nue comes up predominately in one episode that took place in Kyoto in the year 1153 and is recounted in The Tale of the Heiki - which chronicles the Gempei War.

Legend has it that during this period Emperor Konoe was plagued by nightmares that eventually seriously threatened his health. His doctors were puzzled by the cause of his afflictions but a loyal retainer noticed that the Emperor’s nightmares started at the same time every night, at 2AM, and at the same time a mysterious black cloud kept appearing over the castle.

Frustrated by his commander’s failing health, this samurai, Minamoto no Yorimasa, climbed up to the roof one night and lay in wait for the cloud. When it appeared, he shot an arrow into it and out of the sky dropped a Nue, which supposedly fell dead, into the sea of Japan. Nue are bringers of misfortune and madness. They are reported as having the face of a monkey, the body of a tanuki (raccoon dog), legs like a tiger and a snake for a tail. They emit a loud piercing scream, like a thrush and consequently are sometimes given more bird-like features.

Have fun with this one….the different animal elements leaves tons to the imagination! Submissions must be received by November 25th.

Please send them to: Crystal Morey Gomineko Books IS Heights #1101 3-32-42 Higashi - Shinagawa Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 140-0002 Japan Please include your name, address, email and permission for Gomineko Press to print the illustration in future publications. Please let me know as well if you would like your artwork returned. I will return submissions after the book goes to print. Thanks and have fun with this!! xoxo Gomineko