Set within a maze of streets in sleepy Tonosho, a large bug-eyed creature painted on a building corner points out directions to confused pedestrians. The odd beast Michi-shirubei doesn¡¯t always get it right, but he means well.

The ²â¨­°ì²¹¾±, a creation of artist Chubei Yagyu, is one of about 900 folk spirit artworks collected at the Yokai Art Museum on Seto Inland Sea¡¯s Shodoshima in Kagawa Prefecture. Yagyu, the museum¡¯s director and a ²â¨­°ì²¹¾± artist from the island, and his team run an open competition for sculptures of original, contemporary ²â¨­°ì²¹¾±. The submissions from Japan as well as an increasing number from abroad are exhibited across four spaces that make up the museum. Last year, they were compiled into the book ¡°.¡±