Miraculous Paintings of Ukiyo Matahei (Ukiyo Matahei Meiga no Kitoku)

The oni no nenbutsu, a soul-seeking demon from the Buddhist hell. He is thought of as ‎powerful and fierce, yet also humorous. Here he impersonates a Buddhist monk. He is ‎usually depicted with a monk's costume and gong, in both satirical and morally didactic ‎scenes, but he is also a symbol of protection again bad luck. Oni means "demon," while ‎nenbutsu is a "prayer to Buddha." He invokes and chants the nenbutsu to appeal to Amida ‎Buddha for the redemption of souls, just as a Buddhist monk might do. ‎
The image portrays the demon wearing the black habit of an itinerant monk, the most ‎emblematic character of the ōtsue. In his left hand he holds a record of donation and in his ‎right hand a wooden hammer, with which he strikes the gong. The absurdity lies in the ‎contrast offered by a demon who masquerades as a Buddhist monk. In general, the figure of ‎the oni no nenbutsu symbolizes a criticism of the hypocrisy and a warning against false ‎appearances.‎