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Japanese Mythical Monsters

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Loki:
In Japan, some children are still told that kappa water imps inhabit rivers. Kappa are creatures that look like young children with sharp beaks for mouths and bald patches on the top of their heads. Children are often warned not to stray too near rivers lest a mischievous kappa pull them into the water.

Since ancient times, strange mythical creatures are said to have been seen by humans, and in Japan the kappa is a classic example of such a creature.

Sightings and accounts of kappa have been recorded in various documents over the years. But perhaps more surprising than the numerous sightings of the creatures reported in text are the kappa "mummies" in existence today, which show us what they are supposed to look like.

A temple in Osaka, for example, owns what is said to be the mummy of a kappa. The mummy, which was given to the temple in the late 17th century, has a fishlike face, four thin limbs, and fingers and toes that look disproportionately long for its 70-centimeter-long body. Seeing this kind of object may make some people believe that some kind of kappa-like creature really did exist.

This kappa mummy is one of the exhibits of Japan's Mythical Creatures: Accounts of Unidentified Living Organisms, a show currently taking place at Kawasaki City Museum in Kanagawa Prefecture. The show provides a comprehensive overview of Japanese mythical creatures from kappa and ogres to mermaids and mermen, to dragons and raiju (thunder beasts) and more. The exhibition also covers a number of supernatural creatures allegedly sighted in modern times such as the tsuchinoko--an enigmatic venomous snake.

On display are drawings and books from the Edo period (1603-1868) and newspaper articles written during the Meiji era (1868-1912).

But while these make for interesting material, they don't quite compare to seeing the "remains" of these creatures.

At the exhibition, a mummified ogre in a sitting position can be viewed. It gives a strong image of size--its sitting height is about 1.2 meters--while a mummy of a merman, much smaller at about 50 centimeters, has a wizened face leading to a stronger impression of age.

Visitors can also see an elongated nail said to have belonged to a long-nosed tengu goblin. This particular nail has been treated as a treasured object by a temple in Saitama Prefecture.

A Shizuoka Prefecture temple, on the other hand, possesses a scroll featuring a letter of apology supposedly written by a tengu captured by the temple's head priest in the mid-17th century. The tengu was forced to apologize for harassing travelers.

Although these mythical creatures are supposed to be just that, how on earth did these "mummies" come into existence and how did they manage to survive until the current day?

Exhibition curator Noriko Takahashi said people in the past apparently combined monkeys and other kinds of animals to create these "mummies" with paper used in many cases to conceal the joints.

"It's not our exhibition's aim to identify what the mummies on display have been made of through DNA examinations, for example," she said. Instead, the museum aims to explore how the mythical creatures have existed in the Japanese imagination, she added.

The various kinds of mythical creatures on display demonstrate how vivid imaginations were at the time. Takahashi takes raiju as an example. Raiju are beasts that fall from the skies during thunderstorms. Drawings of this kind of creature show great variety, with raiju portrayed as being catlike at times and more similar to sea dragons at others.

"During thunder storms, people used to stay inside their homes and shut all their doors and windows so they couldn't see anything outside," the curator said. "Once the thunder and lighting stopped, they would emerge from their dwellings and see broken tree branches and other signs of storm damage, and I think this kind of thing inspired imaginations to create the mythical beasts."

Some of these mythical creatures were supposed to be helpful to humans. For example, some provided protection against transmittable diseases. Others, though, were considered deadly to humans. According to one exhibit, a report dated in 1843, a five-meter-long monster killed 13 samurai officials and others digging a canal near Inba Marsh in Chiba Prefecture.

In contrast to the horrendous details of the incident, the monster depicted in an image to go with the report doesn't really look like a heinous attacker. It's hard to believe that the monster's seallike body was really so large, and its monkeylike face looks more than a little on the humorous side.

Takahashi pointed out that the mythical creatures portrayed by Japanese generally have a humorous aspect.

"I think it's interesting these monsters don't look at all as frightening or powerful as indicated by the stories that describe them," Takahashi said, adding that through the imaginary creatures, she had come to better appreciate the sense of humor and wit of Edo-period people.


Until Sept. 5 at Kawasaki City Museum, a 10-minute bus ride from the North Exit of Musashi Kosugi Station on the JR and Tokyu lines. Open 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed on Mondays. Admission is 900 yen for adults, 500 yen for students and free for primary and middle school students and those aged 65 and older. Call (044) 754-4500 or visit http://home.catv.ne.jp/hh/kcm.

Sea_myth_creations:
Hi Loki ,

Did you see this show in person ?  Did you or anbody else take any photos ( if you were allowed to that is )

In my research of the Barnum Feejee Mermaid , I found out that this mermaid had been touring around Japan long before Barnum took possession of it .  There is said to be records in Japan if this mermaid .
Maybe not photos but drawings .

 If anyone can get me photos of Fiji Mermaids in Japan or in other countries besides the U.S.  I would pay a fair amount for them .

Best regards, Juan

Platinum~Dragonfly:
The Kappa is a Japanese creature that has the body of a tortoise, the head of a monkey and limbs that are lined with scales. If it is ever separated from water, it will die, so it has, in its head, a basin, that it fills with water so it can leave its stream unharmed. the only way to kill a kappa is to toss a gold coin at its feet (they love gold) and when it leans down to pick the coin up, the water will spill out its head, killing it.

Inuyasha:

--- Quote from: Platinum~Dragonfly ---The Kappa is a Japanese creature that has the body of a tortoise, the head of a monkey and limbs that are lined with scales. If it is ever separated from water, it will die, so it has, in its head, a basin, that it fills with water so it can leave its stream unharmed. the only way to kill a kappa is to toss a gold coin at its feet (they love gold) and when it leans down to pick the coin up, the water will spill out its head, killing it.
--- End quote ---
Well, I heard that if you bow to a kappa, it will return the bow and spil the water. And if you toss a cucumber(I think it is anyway) into the river were a kappa lives with your name carved on it, it will remember you and not do you any harm.

Platinum~Dragonfly:
Feng-Huang
    < Feng-Huang
These birds, the Chinese equivalents of the phoenix, have three legs and lives in the sun. The Feng is the male and the Huang is the female, together symbolizing everlasting love. They have the head and comb of a pheasent and the feathers of a peacock. The plumage blends the five colours and the song of the bird is the harmony of the five notes. It has sometimes been associated with the roc.
< The name of Feng-huang in traditional Chinese format.

Nagas
Living in the watery region under the earth called Patala, nagas are serpentine creatures from South-Eastern Asian Hindu's mythology. The are semi-divine and number one thousand. They have human faces and serpent's tails, and reign in great splendor and guard treasures. There are four classes of naga: heavenly, divine, earthly and hidden depending on their function in guarding the heavenly palace, giving rainfall, draining rivers, or guarding treasures. It is said that nagas have the ability to make men invisible underwater. It is also said that nagas will give ones they favour soma. a drink that will grant the drinker great strength. The King of the nagas, Ananta-Shesha is said to have either seven or 1000 heads. It is said that nagas will destroy the world with fire eventually.
In Burma, nagas are part serpent, dragon, and part crocodile. They give rubies to those that they favour and they protect many royal people in Burmese mythology.

Ho-Oo
The Ho-Oo is the Japanese phoenix, the Ho being the male bird and the Oo being the female. It comes to earth to do good deeds for people, and this appearance symbolizes the beginning of a new era. The bird then ascends back to heaven to await a new era. It is much like the Chinese Phoenix the Feng-Huang. The Ho-Oo has been adopted as a symbol of the royal family, particularily the empress. It is supposed to represent the sun, justice, fidelity and obedience.

Japanese Fox
Looking like a typical fox, the Chinese fox, Kitosune, has a life span that is between 800 and 1000 years. Each part of this fox's anatomy has special powers. Its tail when struck on the ground can start fires, it can see into the future and it can change its shape. Often appearing as an old man, young girl or a scholar. The Chinese fox is a trickster and so its appearance can be a bad omen. These foxes often are found around graveyards and it is said that the souls of the dead can transmigrate with the body of this fox.

Ki-Lin and Ki-Rin
   < Ki-Lin
Although the Chinese have many types of Unicorn, the Ki-Lin is the most famous. Japan has two main types of unicorn, the Ki-Rin (or Ki-Rin, which is based upon the Ki-Lin and resembles it) and the Sin-U which has lion-like features. The Chinese Ki-Lin is associated only with positive traits. It symbolizes wisdom, justice and rectitude. It appears only during the time of an upright ruler, or before the birth or death of a sage. It is depicted as having the head of a dragon with one horn, the mane of a lion, the body of a stag and the tail of an ox. The Ki-Lin has such care for living things that it will not step on a blade of grass or hurt an insect.
   < Ki-Rin
< The name of the Ki-lin in traditional Chinese format.

Oni
In Japanese myth, the Oni are evil spirits or demons that have monstrous forms. There are many kinds of Oni, but the most recognized are the oni of hell. These creatures are green or red and have either the head of an ox or a horse, with a human body. They capture sinners and carry them in a flaming chariot to the god of the dead. Another group of Oni are perpetually hungry and thirsty with stomachs that are grossly swollen. These Oni have the ability to change their shape. Some oni are invisible, but all are said to be malevolent and the cause of disease.

Jinshin-Uwo
The source of all Japanese earthquakes, this seven hundred mile long eel carries Japan on its back. By lashing its large tail, the Jinshin-Uwo, or Earthquake fish causes these quakes.

Akuma
The akuma is also known by the names Toori Akuma, or Ma. This Japanese Demon creature is terrifying and evil. It has an enormous flaming head with eyes like coals. It flies through the air brandishing a sword. Even the sight of an akuma brings bad luck.

Tengu
   < A Tengu
A Japanese spirit. They are winged creatures with large noses or beaks, known to be part human and part bird. They are known to mischievous rather than evil, they enjoy playing tricks on humans. However, if the tables are turned and tricks are played on them, they become extremely angry.

O-Goncho
The o Goncho is a dragon from Japan. Every fifty years this white beast turns into a golden bird. The cry of this beast is supposed to signify the coming of famine.

Yama-Uba
A female Japanese mountain demon, the Yama-uba, has the appearance of a woman with long hair. She can transform her hair into serpents, with which she uses to catch human prey, drawing her victims to her mouth which is on the top of her head.

Yuki-Onna
The Yuki Onna, or Snow Woman, is Japanese female demon. She inhabits snow storms and causes travelers to become lost. Eventually the travelers become exhausted and freeze to death.

Yofune-Nushi
A sea-serpent from Japanese mythology. It lived in cave under the rocks of the Oki Island's cost. Every year on the night of June 13, the serpent had to be offered a fair maiden. If this was refused, the creature would cause storms and destroy the fishing fleet. One year, a young girl, called Tokoyo, volunteered to go as the serpent's next victim. When the monster approached her, ready to devour her, she pulled a knife and slashed at its eyes, blinding it. When the serpent reared back in pain and confusion, Tokoyo slew it.[/img]

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