Japanese Horror Stories
Kappas
Kappa ( ⁇ , "river"), also called Gataro ( ⁇ , "river") or Kawako ( ⁇ , "river"), is a legendary creature, a type of aquatic creature that can be found in Japanese folklore. However, they are also considered part of cryptozology, as some people claim to see Kappa. In Shintoism, they are considered one of the suijin ("water gods").
in Shinto mythology in Japan, there is a legend about a creature that is identified as the god of water. The creature is called Kappa. However, unlike other mythological creatures, at present, there are at least 4 Kappa mummies neatly stored in Japan and the Netherlands.
Kappa who is often identified as the god of water has a variety of names. Other names of these creatures include Kawataro (water boy), Kawaka, Kawaranbe, Kyuusenbou, Masunta, Mu jima and Ningyo.
Kappa can be found in lakes, rivers, springs and even in irrigation canals. Sometimes he is described as having a shape like a snake, dragon, eel or turtle.
But the most popular description of Kappa is that it is childlike, ape-faced, has a shell on the back, long hair and scaly skin that is yellow green. Some records say this creature can change the color of his body like a chameleon.
It is also said to have a fish-like smell and to hate loud noises and metal objects. The main habitat of Kappa is scattered in the Kyushu region and the Sarugaishi river in Honshu.
One unique feature of the Kappa is the presence of an uncapped cavity on top of its head. This round cavity contains water which is the source of Kappa's strength.
So if one day you fight with Kappa, before fighting, give respect first by bowing your body. Kappa who is referred to as a creature that has manners will immediately reply by bending his body as well. Thus the liquid on his head would spill and his power would be lost. This will force him to withdraw from the fight.
Despite having the size of a small child, Kappa is said to have great strength. He dared to attack a horse and was able to pull his larger-bodied prey into the water. According to various legends, Kappa gained its power by drinking blood and eating the entrails of its prey.
Although sometimes described as an evil creature, but many legends tell of Kappa as a good creature and good at treating. If he is caught and asked to promise not to disturb the population again, he will surely keep his promise.
The story of Kappa first appears in the ancient Nihon Shoki records dating back to 720 AD. In the document, Kappa is called "Kawa no Kami". In the Edo period, Illustrations of the Kappa appeared in anthologies and paintings. In 1910, Kappa gained popularity after a story called Tono Monogatari was published. In the story is told about several legendary creatures including Kappa.
But at this time, Kappa is more depicted as a cartoon character with a funny character.
In Japan, there is still a popular saying that reads "A Kappa drowned in a river" which means "even an ahlipun can make mistakes".
As I mentioned above, there are currently 4 Kappa mummies that are neatly stored in several places. But like the mummies of other strange creatures, including Tengu mummies that I have discussed in previous writings, he said, the Kappa mummy is also considered to be the result of the handwork of Edo-era artists by combining the body parts of various animals.
Below are 4 Kappa mummies I mean :
Kappa mummy at the National Museum of Ethnology in Leiden, Netherlands
The mummy is thought to be a work of art created by combining various parts of the animal's body and is believed to have been made for carnival purposes during the Edo period.
Kappa mummy at Zuiryuji Temple in Osaka
The mummy is 70 cm long with a human-like shape and is thought to date back to 1682.
Kappa mummy in Matsuura sake factory in Imari city
According to a brochure released by the sake company, the mummy was found inside a wooden box in the 1950s by a builder on the ceiling of a house while he was changing its roof. Seeing the strange creature, his ancestors then passed on the mummy to his grandchildren. The owner then built a small altar and ordained this mummy as a water god.
Mummy of Kappa at a pilgrimage site in Kumamoto prefecture
The 4th mummy of Kappa is located in a pilgrimage site in Kumamoto prefecture. But this mummy does not have a complete body part but only a hand piece that is believed to belong to Kappa.
In addition to the four mummies, at a temple called Kappa temple in the Ueno Asakusa area of Tokyo, there is also a piece of hand bone that is believed to belong to Kappa.
According to the temple manager, the place where the temple stands first is a watershed that does not have a good water channel so that the place is often flooded. It is said that the local people then built a water channel with the help of Kappa who lived in the Sumida river.
It is a pity that until now there has never been forensic research on these mummies so we still can not know the authenticity. It can be fake, it can be real.
