Nyo-i-jizai 如意自在

Nyo-i-jizai (如意自在) is perhaps the most specialized Tsukumogami in Japanese folklore—a sentient backscratcher that exists for the sole purpose of reaching those impossible-to-scratch spots on your spine.

Meaning and Origin

The name is a triple-pun. Nyoi refers to a Buddhist’s ritual staff, but also means “as one wishes.” Jizai means “freely” or “at ease.” Thus, he is the “Staff Who Does Exactly As He Pleases.”

The Nyo-i-jizai is an “Artifact Spirit” formed from a magonote (literally “grandchild’s hand”), the traditional Japanese name for a backscratcher. It was first named and illustrated by Toriyama Sekien in 1781. The design was likely a playful jab at the Buddhist priesthood, using a sacred ritual object to represent a trivial, everyday comfort.

Characteristics

In art, Nyo-i-jizai is depicted as a slender, humanoid staff with long, spindly arms and sharp, hooked claws. He often has a single, mischievous eye and a look of intense concentration.

He is one of the “Living Furniture” yokai. Unlike the terrifying Kasha or the lethal Nure-onna, the Nyo-i-jizai is entirely harmless. He spend his nights wandering through the halls of old houses, looking for sleeping people with itchy backs.

Legends

The “legend” of the Nyo-i-jizai is mostly a humorous one. It is said that even a rich merchant or a powerful Shogun cannot scratch the middle of their own back. No matter how much money you have, there are some itches you cannot solve alone.

The Nyo-i-jizai represents the “Mastery of Small Comforts.” If you treat your household tools with respect, the Nyo-i-jizai will appear in your dreams to scratch your itch with perfect precision. However, folklore warned that if you were a cruel or neglectful person, the Nyo-i-jizai might “scratch too hard,” using his sharp claws to leave a painful reminder that even the smallest servant deserves respect.