/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>21637559

>>20292654
Well, the answer is simple. The scrolls were commissioned and owned by the Buddhist Kozan Temple (高山寺 Kozan-ji). The scrolls depict animals dressed up as Buddhist monks and frogs praying to a frog buddha. That is what the OP pic is. A frog in a buddha-like pose. You must be thinking that it's ironic that the Shinto-based Suwako has that on her clothes but it's actually not. Historically, the Suwa shrine complex has also been in the hands of Buddhist temples. Shintoism and esotetric Buddhism had good relations with each other in those times to the point where many kami were considered incarnations of Buddhist figures, including the kami of the Suwa shrine. Getting back on track, tanuki by themselves are intrinsically linked with Buddhism. Before Buddhism became prevalent in Japan, tanuki were portrayed as slender, selfish tricksters similar to kitsune (foxes and raccoon dogs look similar and are closely related). The evil tanuki were skilled at transforming themselves and other things (particularly leaves) into different objects. When Buddhism came around, tanuki transformed into good-willed (although still mischievous), potbellied creatures that symbolized happiness, wealth, and fortune. These tanuki commonly dressed up as Buddhist monks (straw hat and all) and had knowledge of sutras and Buddhist teachings. It's speculated that this fat, monk-dressed depiction of tanuki originated from images of Hotei (a famous round-bellied Buddhist monk who also symbolized wealth and good fortune). In any case, tanuki are associated with Buddhism. This is why ZUN associated Mamizou with the Myouren Temple and why he associated Mamizou with the Chouju Jinbutsu Giga.