Kappa

The Kappa is one of the best-known yokai in Japanese folklore, a water-dwelling creature that has been part of Japanese culture for centuries. The name literally means "river child," and the Kappa is associated with rivers, ponds, and other bodies of fresh water throughout Japan. It is simultaneously feared, respected, and, in modern times, treated with a degree of affection.

Traditional descriptions depict the Kappa as roughly the size of a child, between 3 and 4 feet tall, with green or blue-green skin, a turtle-like shell on its back, webbed hands and feet, and a beak-like mouth. Its most distinctive feature is a dish-shaped depression on the top of its head, called a sara, which must remain filled with water at all times. If the water spills, the Kappa loses its supernatural strength. This weakness has given rise to a well-known piece of Japanese folk wisdom: if confronted by a Kappa, bow deeply. The Kappa, being compulsively polite, will bow in return, spilling the water from its head.

Historical accounts of Kappa interactions range from mischievous to deadly. Kappa were blamed for drowning livestock and children who ventured too close to rivers. They were said to reach up from the water and pull victims under, sometimes extracting a mythical organ called the shirikodama from the victim's body. Signs warning of Kappa were posted along dangerous waterways, and some historians believe Kappa legends served as cautionary tales to keep children away from rivers and ponds.

But the Kappa was not purely malevolent. In some traditions, Kappa that were captured or defeated could be bargained with. They were said to possess knowledge of medicine, particularly bone-setting, and could be persuaded to share this knowledge. Communities that successfully negotiated with a Kappa sometimes received its protection.

The Kappa has been depicted in Japanese art since at least the Edo period (1603 to 1868). Ukiyo-e woodblock prints, illustrated bestiaries called "yokai emaki," and regional folk art all feature the Kappa prominently. In modern Japan, the Kappa has become a beloved mascot. It appears on warning signs near waterways, in advertising, in manga and anime, and as a character in video games. Kappabashi, a famous kitchen-supply district in Tokyo, takes its name from the creature.

Some researchers have suggested that Kappa legends may have been inspired by the Japanese giant salamander, a real animal that can grow over 5 feet long and inhabits rivers in western Japan. Others have proposed that Kappa stories may have roots in encounters with river otters or in the practice of placing cucumbers (the Kappa's favorite food, according to legend) as offerings at water shrines.