#Japanese medicine

[kaiyonohime]

Whelp, three eggs harvested today. I'll find out next Monday if any survived.

Oh, and, for the fourth fucking time, I was prescribed penicillin as an antibiotic. I literally went over the checklist with the nurse before the operation and she specifically asked me about it. It's on my chart.

And yet I was prescribed it again. Honestly, this is why this is the last round of ivf I'm doing. Not because of the drain of having to go to the hospital for injections every day for weeks on end, not all of the other meds I have to keep track of, not because of the pain, but because the entire fucking department has the reading comprehension of a three year old and have continuously prescribed me a medication that I'm allergic to! Four times with two different doctors, one who is head of the department.

At this rate I'm afraid they'll inject it while I'm under sedation and kill me because of this incompetence.

It's my pharmacy that's caught the problem all four times. There are, apparently, no safety systems in check at my local Red Cross hospital.

[mokokone]

Hello! I have an idea/request!!! I saw your Kusuriuri's and love them SO MUCH! Can I request maybe a Kusuriuri x reader with the red string, I heard that Kusuriuri is "unlikely that he can ever settle down and marry" so maybe the reader is the one that follows the red string and finds him. You know just a cute writing! Have a good day/afternoon/night! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ ♡♡

A/N: I had to do a little research on Japanese mythology before writing this. Hope you enjoy!♡

The Red Thread [The Medicine Seller/Kusuriuri x Reader Soulmate AU]

When you'd first seen the thin red string that was neatly tied to your pinkie finger, you knew immediately that Okuninushi no Mikoto, the God of Love and Marriage, had bound you to your soulmate.

You so badly wanted to meet them, but you were a little afraid that they might not be what you had imagined. However, as days turned into weeks and weeks into months, the red string remained a constant reminder of the divine connection you shared with your soulmate. You found yourself growing more and more curious about who they could be, wondering if they were thinking about you too.

The anticipation and excitement continued to build, filling your heart with a mixture of hope and apprehension. Every time you looked at the string, you felt a surge of warmth and comfort, knowing that somewhere out there, your soulmate was waiting for you.

Thus, you began your journey through the land of Edo in search of the one connected to you by the red string of fate.

From bustling streets and rural villages to serene gardens and sacred shrines, the sense of connection you felt grew stronger. With each step you took, you felt an unfamiliar, small tug on your pinkie.

However, nothing came from those small tugs on the string. Despite the initial excitement and hope that had filled your heart, the absence of any further signals left you feeling uncertain and restless. You began to wonder if perhaps you had misinterpreted the signs or if the timing was simply not right.

As you were about to lose all hope, you suddenly felt that one constant pull, and you almost thought your finger was going to come off.

Curiosity is eating you alive. You take a deep breath and stand, following the string whenever it tugs. It was as if it was guiding you.

You want to know who you are connected to and why. You follow until the red string leads you to a red torii gate. Passing through, you're met with a gorgeous garden of pink hydrangeas and a beautiful shrine covered in papar Ofuda.

You stare at it in awe for a moment until the red string begins to glow brightly.

Slowly, you approach the shrine and see a man sitting on the engawa.

He had dirty blonde hair and wore a purple bandanna. He's dressed in a vibrant kimono with beautiful psychedelic patterns, and his appearance looks elven-like. The outsides of his eyes are outlined by strange markings, with the ones underneath forming the appearance of teardrops. And his upper lip is painted purple, making it appear that he is constantly smiling.

He doesn't look human at all. In fact, he remained like a sly fox. But the red string seems to connect to him as it does to you.

For a moment, you stare at him until his gaze meets yours.

"Oh!" His voice is velvety and attractive as he raises a tad, "A visitor."

Suddenly, you felt naked as he shamelessly eyed you up and down; the corners of his mouth curled along with his painted lips in an amused smirk.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this special visit?" He asked.

"Are you... my soulmate?" You asked shyly, slowly inching your way closer.

You wanted to get closer to him, but stopped a few feet from him so as not to invade his personal space. You were strangers. The enchanted Ofuda covering the shrine acts as a warning to you to keep away.

"Hmm, perhaps I am." He tilts his head in question. "First, I'm hunting Mononoke, and the next thing I know is that I have a red string tied to my finger."

He then eyed the string tied to your own finger as his smile widens. Gently, he pulls at the red thread as if trying to pull you forward.

"It would seem the old man has a sense of humor," He said.

Your face heats up in embarrassment as you shyly avert your gaze toward the ground. However, another tug on the string brings your attention back to him.

"Anyway, I've been waiting for you to come find me," He replies.

"Y-you have?"

He nods.

"Though, you'll have to excuse all these... decorations," he says, gesturing towards the paper ofuda covering the shrine. "They were for safety measures in case you were a mononoke. Okuninushi is an old friend of mine, and I had assumed this was his way of a joke. But apparently I was wrong."

"Uh, do you have a name?" You asked him.

"I'm just a humble medicine seller," He answers nonchalantly.

"You don't have a name?" You tilt your head in question.

Another smile graced his painted lips, and he is like a fox.

"I am but a humble medicine seller, nothing more."

Did he simply not have a name, or was he hiding it out of habit? Either way, you decided to call him as is.

"Kusuriuri, then," you say.

The Medicine Seller, or "Kusuriuri," grins in response, the sight of his sharp canines making your heart thump faster as the red string of fate that connects you both glows brighter.

Soon, he silently motions you over to sit next to him, which, after a little hesitation, you do.

For a moment, neither of you speak, the tranquil silence enveloping the space between you like a soft, comforting blanket, creating an atmosphere filled with anticipation. You feel Kusuriuri's enigmatic gaze on you, and for a second, you think that he's displeased by what he sees.

What if he finds you mediocre, ugly, or disgusting?

"Are you happy with the result?" He suddenly asked, nearly making you jump.

"Eh?" You meet his gaze. "M-me..?"

He nods in response, a gentle affirmation that propels your heart into a flurry of emotions as you realize the depth of his query.

"Yes."

Oh! Apparently he was having the same thoughts as you and is now asking if you're happy with the outcome.

You're not sure if it's the red thread that ties your souls inextricably together, but you couldn't be happier to have finally met him. It's clear he's not human, but you refuse to let such distinctions cloud your feelings or cloud your judgment of what truly matters.

"Okuninushi wants to know if you're satisfied with me being your soulmate. It is why the red thread glows," Kusuriuri explains, his words carrying a weight of significance. "If you are disappointed or unhappy, then you can untie and remove it from your finger." He added.

You're surprised by this. I mean, did you really want to untie the string? Yes, you and Kusuriuri are strangers and hardly know each other. But surely there's a reason why the God of Love and Marriage chose Kusuriuri to be your one and only.

Feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension, you gaze at the glowing thread that binds you and Kusuriuri together. As the significance of the situation sinks in, you find yourself hesitating, unsure of whether to keep the thread intact or to sever it and potentially change the course of destiny.

However, Kusuriuri doesn't seem to be complaining much since he's making no effort to remove the string, which piqued your curiosity.

"Are you happy, Kusuriuri-san?" You asked while averting your gaze back to him. "Are you satisfied with me being your soulmate?"

The words tumble out of your mouth in a rush, betraying the anxiety that has been building up inside you.

For a moment, he said nothing and only stared at you, which started to worry you. However, the corner of his lips arched upward as he smiled. His smile is enigmatic, hinting at a depth of emotion that you can't quite decipher.

"Only if you don't find me uninteresting," he says. "I am quite satisfied with my result." His words are cryptic yet strangely comforting, leaving you with a sense of peace.

"You are?"

"Yes, very much."

Slowly, he leans in close until he's inches away from your face. The sudden proximity made your face feel warm. His presence feels both familiar and unknown, drawing you in with a magnetic pull.

"I must admit, it gets lonely traveling alone, and I could use some company," he tells you with a soft smile.

The warmth of his eyes draws you in, hinting at a desire for connection and shared experiences in the boundless expanse of the world.

"Then, yes, I am happy, Kusuriuri-san," you finally answer in earnest.

Okuninushi didn't make no mistake.

"Then, would you care to join me on my travels, my dear?" He asked you.

You nod in agreement, still mesmerized by the sincerity and depth of his gaze, you feel an unspoken invitation to join him on an adventure, uncertain of the destination but eager for the journey ahead.

Without a word exchanged, the silence between you speaks volumes as you both lean in, closing the distance between your lips. In that fleeting moment of connection, the world around you fades into insignificance, leaving only the sensation of his touch and the shared intimacy of that tender kiss.

The red string of fate glows brighter, as does your bond.

[lanada]

Chōu Ōta | Vaccination 1934

Ink and color on paper | 199.5 x 119 cm

Kyoto Municipal Art Museum, Japan.

[martillust01]

🎐モノノ怪

[izzysaur]

Kusuriuri redraw ❤️

[ruiniel]

The way they did this

(I)

Ayakashi Japanese Classic Horror (2006) , Mononoke (2007)

[libertastandem]

IN TERMS OF PLOT AND CHARACTERS NOT AESTHETICS

[littlevices]

Ayakashi and Mononoke

Within the past week (give or take), I have finished watching not only Ayakashi, but also Mononoke and it's recent movie The Phantom in the Rain.

This is mostly about Mononoke, but I do wanna touch on Ayakashi, seeing as Mononoke came from the last three episodes of Ayakashi. All that to say, I'm about to gush and ramble so hold on to your hats, lol.

Disclaimer: Spoilers for Ayakashi and Mononoke, for those of you that wanna avoid that. I'll only be talking about those, the movie will be in a separate post later. And rambling and gushing, lots of that too. (And a long post)

Ayakashi

I'm gonna be blunt and get it out of the way, I did not like Ayakashi that much, as a whole. Sure the Bakeneko story was the highlight, but the rest was just kinda alright. Maybe it's just cause I don't fully understand the stories they are telling, and I'm fully willing to admit to that, but they just did not get me to care much. I will say I did like how the opening changed it's visuals depending on the story arc it was in. They could have just took visuals and scenes from all three stories to make it easier but instead went the extra mile and I appreciate that. However, the song fit much better with the style of Bakeneko than the other three, but the effort is still appreciated and noted.

The Dark Tower (Tenshu Monogatari) was the one I liked the least. It was horrible, but I also could not bring myself to care for the characters of this story much. The two main characters were just, mostly, bland to me and didn't really strike much of a cord. Oshizu going to the tower to see Zushonoskue cheat on her with Tomihime felt unnecessary and was shock value to be shock value. Her actions could still make sense even up till the end even without that, Tomihime was clearly being favored over her even though she'd been dating him longer, of course she'd be mad. Same thing with Zushonoskue turning into a monster, and it didn't even play that big of a role in things either, it happened way too late to. Tomihime crying about Uba dying didn't move me because Uba had been kind of unpleasant the entire time, somewhat same for her attendants whom I saw no personality even though their deaths were supposed to be tragic. Even the ending didn't do much despite trying to be bittersweet. It came off as more of a tragedy than horror, really.

Yostuya Kaidan was better, in the fact that it had a lot more horror in there mixed with tragedy. It felt like a one of those ghost stories you tell around a campfire or at sleepovers and I can vibe with that. However, like some of the first story, some of the story elements felt thrown in just for the sake of shock value. The incest plot twist involving Oiwa's sister and her fake husband felt thrown in, why was it even there? So they had a reason to die? So the fake husband would take his own life and make her fiance's revenge for them both seem more noble? The fact the narrator wasn't even alive anymore while narrating the story not only felt the same way, but also felt cliche. 'But wait, if I'm dead who is telling this story~' kind of deal. I will admit I did like the twist that Iemon did not intentionally poison Oiwa and disfigure her face and was just as surprised by it, but also the history of the story itself, told through the narrator was pretty cool and I did enjoy the history lesson.

Obviosuly, Bakeneko was the highlight, I can see why this birthed a spin-off and more. The animation and visualy style is stunning, if a little nauseating at first, but I got used to it quickly. Especially since I became so invested in both the mystery and the Medicine Seller himself. Bakeneko had both horror and tragedy in equal measure and did a great job with it. It's visual style really emphasized the Mononoke's creepy movements and facial expressions. Unlike the first two stories, I actually teared up a little at the end of Bakeneko seeing Tamaki and her little kitten finally walk free into the afterlife together. I felt something with her story, especially given it horrific nature and how the cat was her only friend and solace. The fact it turned into a Bakeneko along with her vengeful spirit hurt, poor things. The Medicine Seller himself is an intriguing figure, and also a little shit sometimes. He was a fun character, and also left me with a lot of questions. Who is he? What is he? Is he working for a higher power, is this something he does of his own volition? What's with the sword? Why does it need "Form", "Truth", and "Reasoning" to slay a Mononoke? Why are the scales so cute?

Of course, this leads me into the spin-off itself.

Mononoke (2007)

I am glad to see they kept the visual style from Bakeneko. It give the series a sense of identity. I didn't mention it before, but I love not only the vibrant colors, but also the subtle paper texture. From what I understand it's supposed to evoke Ukiyo-e woodblock prints (I had to look this up because I could not for the life of me remember what this was called but I did recognize the style.) It works well given the time period it's supposed to be in. The backgrounds sometimes look like they are being pulled along on a scroll. At least they do to me.

Something else that works well with the horror that I saw mentioned, and agree with, is the sound. Not just the background music, however it also does a good job, but the small subtle ones. The nails scrapping against the hollow ship, the growls of the cats, the strumming of the biwa (I believe that's what they called the instrument), the laughter of the children. The sound effects play a great role in amping up the eeriness of the horror, my personal favorite being the bells on the scales and the slight jingle they make as they tilt towards the mononoke builds anticipation. Even something as subtle as the drawers on the Medicine Seller's trunk, geta clacking, water dripping, or shoji sliding add to the atmosphere.

As for the episode content themselves, I found I liked pretty much all of it for different reasons depending on the arc. If Kayo is there, it's a bonus because I love her dynamic with the Medicine Seller and he's clearly fond of her. Enough so that her look alike (reincarnation? descendant?) gets a small fond smile out of him (it's blink and you you'll miss it, but it's there). The horror elements work well, and the stories told are very interesting in how they handle the human psyche. The Noppera-Bo arc confused me at first, but I find I like its story of how trying to please others, at the detriment of yourself, only leads to resentment and horrible thoughts. It leaves you feeling trapped. I'm hoping Cho did just leave, which is what's implied at the end, but it also shows just how devious the Medicine Seller can be when it comes to fighting mononoke. I think the Nue arc was my favorite, as I loved the twist that those spirits were already dead, hinted by the grayscale color palette, and were forced into a an endless loop. It was also one of the more freaky looking mononoke, besides the Bakeneko and Biwa player (though I don't know if he was a mononoke or not).

Now, the thing that made me want to watch Mononoke, the Medicine Seller himself.

This man, this glorious man, intrigues me. Yes, there are all my questions above, but just his general attitude it interesting. While he's usually a reserved individual, his small moments of snark are just too funny. It was more prominent in Ayakashi, but there are still moments in Mononoke. Particularly with Kayo, but also in the Nue arc when he says he mixed up oleander with the other scents, especially when he plays it up when there's only one man left. His excuse for why he's dressed the way he is Bakeneko (Mononoke Ver.) is especially amusing. He makes it sound like a marketing gimmick. Plus, playing the part of the masked man in the Noppera-Bo arc, which is what's implied, does have its (darkly) humorous element given how the masked man behaves compared to the Medicine Seller himself.

Also, the Medicine Seller here, who I believe is often nicknamed Ri, just has this whole 'I'm done with this shit' vibe, and, honestly, that is a mood.

Clearly, I am very heavily biased towards Mononoke compared to Ayakashi. However, there were still some elements to Ayakashi I did like, but overall the entire package just didn't captivate me the same way. Especially the Tenshu Monogatari story. Which just left me feeling 'meh'. Apologies to those who enjoyed Ayakashi as a whole, but besides Bakeneko and some parts of Yostuya Kaidan, it just didn't do it for me. I am glad it exists, though, both for telling what I am sure are classic japanese stories, but also for bringing forth Mononoke as a series.

[lefty-of-the-day]

Today's Lefty of the Day is the Medicine Seller from Mononoke

[thensocrates]

陈士(chenshi)x坤(kun)

oc x canon

[ruindunburnit]

When I eventually pivot my video essays from House of Night to Death Note, I will finally tackle what I call the Glass Cell Theory, which the TV Drama made most clear:

Light only acts the way he does through the Yotsuba Arc and the Near Arc because of his solitary confinement. And in fact he is a perfect case for why we should not be doing that.

[tanuki-kimono]

Interesting article by Xavier from Archéo'Japon, overviewing the history and beliefs surrounding May 5th Kodomo no hi 子供の日 (children's day) / Tango no Sekku 端午の節句 (Japanese take on Duanwu festival) traditions.

Original article is in French but really worth a read through auto-translate if you wish to learn more about the origins of some of the Kodomo no hi rituals :)

[mokokone]

Hello!

Can you do a Kusuriuri x Kitsune! Fem! Reader. Where the reader loves to tease him and prank him.

Thank you <3 ❤️

Author's preface: Kitsunes are known for their mischievous nature and love of playing tricks on humans. These mythical creatures have the ability to shape-shift into different forms, often using their powers to deceive unsuspecting individuals. Despite their playful antics, kitsunes are also seen as wise and intelligent beings in Japanese folklore. Their cunning ways make them both feared and respected in traditional stories and legends.

Trickster |Medicine Seller/Kusuriuri x FemKitsune!Resder|

Kusuriuri stood, pondering for a moment. His piercing cerulean gaze scanned the room, taking in every detail.

Something was amiss.

His Taima Ken Exorcism Sword was missing. He could have sworn he left it sitting on the coffee table.

Surely, the small blade couldn't have flown away. Every corner and crevice was scrutinized, but the sword was nowhere to be found. Kusuriuri's mind raced with questions—who could have taken it? And for what nefarious purpose?

"(Y/n)!" He suddenly called.

 After a moment, a young female poked her head through the shoji. Her hair was a beautiful color of (h/c), falling in loose waves around her shoulders. Her eyes, a vibrant shade of (e/c), sparkled with curiosity. However, the most unique thing about her appearance was that she had fox ears and a bushy fox tail.

Her fox ears twitched slightly as she looked at her master with a sense of curiosity.

"Yes, what is it, master?" You asked.

"Have you seen my sword?" Kusuriuri asked you as you stepped into the room, watching his eyes scan the space in search of the missing weapon.

"No... Why?" you inquired, feigning innocence as you tried to suppress a mischievous grin.

In truth, you knew exactly where it was. After all, you were the one who hid it, as well as a few other items of his.

Though you didn't really have a good reason for doing so, you were just bored and thought it'd be funny to see how long it would take him to notice.

As you watched him search, you couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for playing this prank on him.

"Hmm, I can’t find it.” He tossed the pillow he had been looking under back down on the sofa. "I'm also missing several of my ofuda as well as some incense from my medicine box." He adds.

“Really? How strange..." You say, hiding a smirk. "Well, I'm sure it'll turn up soon, master.” you tell him before turning on your geta to leave.

“Hopefully...” You hear him murmur, unaware that he had watched you leave.

“Where? Where is it?”

Later that evening, you heard your master sigh in frustration. There was no doubt he was starting to lose his patience.

You poke your head in the doorway again. “What is it now?” You wondered which item he was looking for now.

But, you knew.

Not long after you hid his sword, you also took and hidden his Shunga (Japanese erotic art) picture book.

“Now, I can't find my Shunga magazine,” he answered.

You couldn't help but grimace. “Why do you even look at such gross things, master?” You scoffed, "It's just a book filled with gross images of women having intercourse with gross men."

Kusuriuri snorts. “Ha, I find it quite entertaining.”

*'You ought to be glad I didn't burn it instead of hiding it, you pervert,'* you inwardly thought to yourself before giving a smile.

“You've been misplacing a lot of your stuff lately, master," you teased. "I never thought you'd be so irresponsible with your things."

"I am not, my dear," he protested. "I am very responsible. I need my sword and ofuda to fight against malevolent mononoke. I would never be so careless as to lose such important items," He huffs.

"It’s like my stuff is just...disappearing. Almost as if someone has taken them." He adds.

You almost felt a shiver run down your spine when he catches your gaze and could only hope he didn't know. Nevertheless, you shook it off and opted to tease him some more.

"Aww, poor master," you fake-sympathize, a mischievous glint in your eye as you watch him sulk his shoulders. "Perhaps your things have had enough of you and just ran away," you snicker.

"Haha, very funny," he chides. "Look, if you're not going to help, then leave."

"Rude!" You stuck your tongue out at him before leaving.

You failed to notice the angry red mark on Kusuriuri's head as blue eyes eyed you both skeptically and intently.

You hurried down the engawa to hide it in the garden under a rock. However, before you could, you yelped upon feeling a hand grab your tail.

That night, you decided to keep the prank going. Once you made sure Kusuriuri was out of sight, you snuck into his room and opened his medicine box. This time you were going to take and hide one of his Kenshutsu (scales).

“Where are you off to, (Y/n)?” Kusuriuri asked.

You sweated nervously, attempting to hide the kenshutsu inside your kimono before turning to face him.

“Um... n-nowhere, master,” You stammered.

Kusuriuri eyed you suspiciously. "Was that one of my kenshutsu?" He asked. "And were you about to hide it in the garden?"

“W-what? N-no way…” You lied, giving him an innocent look.

However, Kusuriuri saw through your lie. After all, he too knows how feels to be a sly fox.

"So, it was you all along," he said, his tone accusatory.

Welp, now that you’very been caught red-handed, you’re toast! It was fun while it lasted. You didn’t even try to plead your innocence; you just grinned warily at him with a nervous chuckle.

“You little minx,” He quickly pulled you forward, making you shriek as he then grabbed your sides.

“K-Kusuriuri─I mean, Master, wait!! No, please, I can explain!” You cry out.

Kusuriuri was merciless as he started tickling you, his fingers digging into your sides, making you squeal.

"This is what you get for hiding my stuff." He smiled menacingly.

You doubled over, trying desperately to get away from him. “Ahhhaaahaa, I'm sorry! P-please, have mercy! Hahahahaha~!”

“Tell me where you put everything and I'll let up," he demanded.

“Ack! I’m sorry!”

"Sorry doesn't tell me where you hid my things,” Kusuriuri said, now switching to tickling you under your arms.

With that, you completely lost it! It was painful as you squealed and tried to push him away. You're the one who got yourself into this mess, so you had no choice but to come clean.

“Fine!! Your sword is in the kitchen cabinet, and your Shunga magazine is inside the hallow of the cherry blossom tree outside." You confessed, desperate for your torture to cease.

“And?” He prompted, tickling your tummy.

Your laughter was so loud and desperate now that tears were beginning to leak from your eyes. "A-and I promise not to take your stuff without permission. I-I...AHaha... I'm sorry! I was just bored!”

Kusuriuri's expression soften. He was pleased that you finally came clean as he finally stopped tickling you, much to your absolute relief. But he still opted to tease you.

“Good girl."

Bastard.

Your face was flushed from laughing in pain as you glared daggers at him.

"I'll forgive you this time, but no more pranks, ok?"

You crossed your arms and stuck out your tongue at him. “You suck, master.”

He merely shrugged his shoulders as he walked off to retrieve his stuff. “Not my fault. You deserved it,” he said, but then stopped and glanced back at you.

"Y'know, if you ever get bored again, feel free to come to me. I'm always up for some fun.♡" He smirks devilishly while winking at you.

It took you awhile, but you quickly caught on of what it is he's implying as your face flushed red.

᪥END᪥

[yemme]

'After School Doctor' on Netflix...

Is a Japanese show about a doctor from a hospital leaving his station and/or being suspended from his station due to his persona/patient. He finds himself employed in the school district with elementary school kids. Dr. Makino is not a school nurse.... his cold persona doesn't stop emergencies from landing in his lap.

The story revolves around a particular classroom... it's the equivalent of lets say first time new teachers being given all the bad kids in one class so other senior teachers can live stress free... but it's pure sickness or illness. The issues with the class never ends and along with the homeroom teacher and Dr. Makino they try to find solutions.

Each episode you watch a child experiencing the stress of peer pressure, uncertainty, lack of love, silencing, self-harm, disbelieved sickness... it pulls at your heart strings because even though this generation of kids deal with more issues like social media, at the core they all want to feel love and protected.

The series truly feels like a after school TV special for kids back in the day. Parents... Educators... Children.... Anyone should watch this series. The only down side, it's just 6-10 episodes. Read the subtitles and watch Dr. Makino in action. The man went from being a Tasmanian devil to Mr. Rogers in a white lab coat.