@upiro: If it means anything I, too, wasn't as impressed with Hyakkiyakou (the same goes for Natsume, which has always played it safe with their potentially-intriguing themes) as I could have been, especially if you're going there after reading the likes of Mushishi.
If you're going the josei route, then yeah, Kyoko Okazaki is a MUST. (And yay Ebine Yamaji!) Along with
Kiriko Nananan who is so far the only josei artist I’ve read who has mastered the art of minimalism. Check out Blue, Pumpkin and Mayonnaise, and her various one-shots. There’s
Moyoko Anno as well even if I haven’t read all her works yet, but I found Hataraki Man and Sakuran enjoyable and relatable.
SignorRossi gave some good recommendations there as well (though I must admit I haven’t yet read Nausicaa, which I swear will be remedied veeeery soon). However I much prefer anime Shigurui over the manga (despite not being complete though I found the journey more than made up for that) if only for the director’s particular brand of melancholia, claustrophobia and symbolism.
For other manga you might like:
Hiroaki Samura’s
Blade of the Immortal,
Bradherley's Coach and
Ohikkoshi.
Homunculus
Jiro Matsumoto’s
Freesia and
Keep on Vibrating
Tatsumi Yoshihiro’s
Push Man, and
Abandon the Old in Tokyo
Coo’s World
Music of Marie
A House in Venice – not sure if this is OEL or whatever it is the cool kids prefer to call it, but it’s very western in its art and execution.
The Town of Evening Calm, the Country of Cherry Blossoms