Set in the cartoonist’s hometown of Sakaiminato, Mizuki Shigeru Road pays beautiful tribute to the manga master with an 800-metre walk lined with around a hundred bronze statues of the creatures drawn by him.
Mizuki Shigeru: father of the manga “GeGeGe-no-Kitaro”
Shigeru Mizuki, a celebrated mangaka, is best known for his work Gegege no Kitaro, which plunges readers into Japanese folklore and all its mysterious creatures: the Yokai.
Born in 1922 in Kohama under the name Shigeru Mura, he spent his childhood in Sakaiminato, Tottori Prefecture. The author himself described this period of his life as the happiest and most formative for his imagination.
During the Second World War, he was drafted into the Japanese Imperial Army and lost his left arm in the jungle of New Guinea, where he was also taken prisoner.
After the war, Mizuki enrolled at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts and learned to draw with his right hand (yes, bad luck: he was left-handed). But nothing stopped him! He began his mangaka career in 1957 with innovative series like “Rocket Man” and “Yûrei Ikka.”
The start of success came in the early 1960s with Gegege no Kitaro. In 2007 at Angoulême, his work NonNonBâ won the prize for best album of the year.
Mizuki died in 2015 and is considered one of the founders of horror manga. His work stands out for its unique stories, blending fantastic creatures, horror, poetry, and autobiography.
Mizuki Shigeru Road: a walk populated with Yokai
Dive into the mystical universe of Mizuki Shigeru Road, laid out in Sakaiminato in 1993. This adventure stretches nearly 800 metres, from the station to the heart of the town, offering a stroll among the enigmatic creations of the famous mangaka.
Meet Kappa, Nurikabe, Amabie, Tengu… No fewer than 177 bronze statues of these mysterious spirits and iconic Mizuki characters watch you along the path. The atmosphere, soaked in the retro charm of the Showa era, gives this urban space an aura both nostalgic and enigmatic.
In 2003, the museum dedicated to this manga master opened its doors. In 2018, to celebrate the museum’s 15th anniversary, illuminations were deployed all along the route.
From sunset until 10 PM, dive into the nocturnal universe with spectres that light the road with shadow plays, giving the bronze statues an even more mysterious touch. Because it’s probably at night that the Yokai reveal their most bewitching side…
