Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternative names: Horse Lord
Category: Horse
The Myth
Umadono is a horse yōkai depicted in the 1788 illustrated work Yōkai Chakutōchō (A Record of the Arrival of Monsters) by Kitao Masami.
In the illustration, Umadono appears among a gathering of yōkai celebrating a feast on an inauspicious day. He is shown beating a drum while a cat dressed in similar clothing plays the shamisen and a fox performs the Shinoda-zuma dance. The accompanying text simply states, “Umadono is beating the drum.”
The image is based on a traditional Japanese metaphor in which “a horse beating a drum” refers to a stallion in heat. Similar depictions of horse monsters playing drums also appear in other kibyōshi (illustrated yellow-covered books) of the Edo period.
Sources
TYZ. (n.d.). 馬殿 (Umadono). In 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010654092.html