What do you think of when someone says “Japan?” Most would probably say Sushi, Godzilla, Anime, kimono, shrine, or Sumo. There is so much more to Japan than just pop culture and amazing food. Believe it or not, Japan has tales of Cryptids and other supernatural things, just as our own culture does. Throughout this new series, we will be looking at some of the better-known creatures and beings, and show how they relate to our own American unknowns.
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Probably the best well known cryptid that comes from the world of Japanese superstition is the Kappa.
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| Kappa |
The Kappa is a creature that Americans would probably compare to the Loveland, Ohio Frogman or any other type of amphibious cryptid. The Kappa usually looks more like an overgrown turtle (think of the Koopa Troopas from Nintendo’s Mario franchise of games.) When translated, the name means “River Child.”
The Kappa is green and its fingers and toes are always webbed to aid its swimming in rivers and ponds. It is also said that Kappas have an odor that smells like fish. Most importantly, the Kappa will always possess a bald yarmulke shaped spot on the top of the head. The bald spot contains water and if the Kappa were to bow and the water spilled, it would render them paralyzed.
Kappas are known to be mischievous and love to play pranks on people. Usually it’s nothing harmless, although, Kappas have been said to kidnap and drown children. So, if you’re even in Japan and you see a humanoid turtle man, just make sure you bow to it and then throw a cucumber. By bathing in the water it inhabits, it is said to grant you great knowledge.
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From the water, we turn our attention to the skies for the next two creatures. First, we will start with the Tengu.
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| Tengu |
The Tengu is basically a Japanese version of the Mothman. The creature is large and covered completely in fur or dark hair with large glowing eyes and quite a large wingspan. The Tengu is known, like Mothman, to become destructive, to signal when war was imminent, or predict disasters. Moreover, their image has now become synonymous with protection and are now said to be guardians of the forests and mountains, especially Mt. Fuji.
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Another sky bound cryptid kids and parents may actually already know, if they’re fans of the Pokémon series/games, isthe Hō-ō. The Hō-ō is the Japanese equivalent to what we think of as a Phoenix or a Thunderbird. This type of bird Cryptid can be identified by their black and red feathers, a black beak, and a red stripe down its back. Their calls have been said to sound like a mixture of an eagle and a hawk combined.
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| Hō-ō |
The Hō-ō is not known for violence. If you are lucky to see this extremely rare cryptid, you can be sure of one thing, that a new era is on the horizon. It has been known to show up when a new ruler has been born and in times of peace and prosperity. During these times, they are known to do good deeds, but be wary when it disappears: that means unstable times are near.
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Stepping from the world of nature, let us now turn our attention to the world of the supernatural with our last entry in the better-known category of cryptids; the Yokai.
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| Different types of Yokai |
Personally, the Yokai have been a favorite of mine in the recent years. Probably most kids today are familiar with Yokai based solely on the Yokai Watch video games and anime series. According to the Cryptid Wiki, Yokai are “...monsters from Japan, usually created as a personification of an aspect of life, or to explain natural phenomena.” The term, when translated, means "bewitching; attractive; calamity"; and "spectre; apparition; mystery; suspicious.”
There are several types of Yokai and they can be either good or bad spirits. Some look more animal like, some look like household objects; the most famous either being an umbrella or a doll, and some have no shape. According to the article found on Wikipedia, there are seventeen different categories of Yokai:
- 5 categories that depend on what its "true form" is: a human, animal, plant, object, or natural phenomenon.
- 4 categories that depend on how they mutate: this-world related, spiritual/mental related, reincarnation (next-world) related, or material related.
- 7 categories that depend on how they appear: human, animal, plant, object, structure/building, thing from nature, and miscellaneous, as well as compound categories that fall into more than one category.
Japanese superstition states that any object that is very old can attract a Yokai. Therefore, when you Google “yokai” it shows many different things, most notably, dolls and umbrellas. Families are urged to purge themselves of these old things as to not attract Yokai into their lives. Dolls are a favorite conduit for Yokai to inhabit. In fact, there is even a ritual that takes place on September 25th, where old dolls are lovingly “retired.” Called the ningyokuyo, old well-loved dolls are taken to Shinto shrines where monks pray over the dolls, make offerings, and then burn them, essentially setting free any Yokai spirit that might dwell inside.
I hope you have enjoyed our short trek around the country of Japan. This is not all the cryptids that can be found there, but the better known or more popular. I encourage you to do a little research if you are interested in learning more about what Japan has hiding in its country. I hope that you have learned something new or a little feel a little more well informed than when you came to this post. As you can see, despite our differences with Japanese culture, we still have many of the same types of creatures hiding in the shadows.
If you liked this post, check back next week when I will be taking you on another journey into the unknown. The compass has yet to point me to where we are headed next, but wherever it is, you can be sure that there are cryptids waiting for us to talk about.
Until next time, remember to keep your mind and your eyes always open. You never know when you might encounter the unknown...
Works Cited/Photo Credit:
“Cryptid Wiki.” Cryptid Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia, cryptidz.wikia.com/.
Kamiya, Setsuko. “Last rites for the memories as beloved dolls pass away.” The Japan Times, www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2006/10/15/to-be-sorted/last-rites-for-the-memories-as-beloved-dolls-pass-away/#.WmVIt6inGUk.
“Yokai.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Dec. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yokai.
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