Kubo Shunman - Objects Representing the Ceremony of Exorcising Demons, One of the New Year Performances - 19th century - STICKER Vinyl Kiss-Cut Decal

This design is a Japanese woodblock-style composition from the 19th century by Kubo Shunman, showing the ritual objects used in traditional New Year demon-exorcism performances.

Visual Elements & Composition

The image sits in a tall vertical panel, with the objects arranged along a diagonal that moves the eye from one item to the next. Straw tan and cream dominate, with the woven straw basket and a bundle of straw mat setting the warm base of the scene. Brick red, in the lacquer pouch, provides the strongest accent, while pale teal and dark slate give the composition its cooler counterweight. Holly leaves with spiny edges and a grey stone or shell are set among the other forms. Striped passages run through the image, and the characters 土佐日記, the title of the classic Tosa Diary, appear within the panel.

Meaning & Symbolism

Each object belongs to the New Year ceremony for expelling demons. Holly with its spiny leaves was used to ward off evil, and the straw and woven forms connect to the seasonal purification rites that marked the turn of the year. The red lacquer pouch and the stone or shell suggest the small ritual containers and tokens that were handled during these performances. Shunman's choice to render these tools rather than people places the focus on the implements themselves, preserving a record of folk practice from the early 19th century.

Cut to Its Own Outline

A kiss-cut sticker follows the exact edge of the artwork, so the vertical panel and its diagonal arrangement of objects stand alone on the surface they are applied to. Because the design is built from distinct, separate forms, each object reads clearly against the surface. It suits smooth, flat surfaces such as journals and laptops, where a close, hand-held viewing distance lets the woodblock detail be seen.