Mummified remains of a japanese mythological creature? Kappa, the water demon
Japanese folklore tells of a creature called Kappa, an aquatic demon with green, scaly skin, webbed feet and a human appearance. What are believed to be the mummified remains of the mythological creature are still preserved today.
Just as grandmothers in our area often tell scary stories of mama's boys and witches to their grandchildren, so Japanese grandmothers tell of a humanoid-looking aquatic demon. The Kappa, also called Kawatarō, is a legendary Japanese creature, a yokai, a spirit that lives in lakes, rivers and ponds.
Kappas are similar to the English Nix or Nixie, the Näkki of Scandinavia, the Neck of Germany and the Kelpie of Scotland, and have been used in all these cultures to scare children of the dangers of what lurks in the waters.
Most descriptions depict kappa as child-sized humanoids, although their bodies are more similar to those of monkeys or frogs than those of humans.
Like other legendary creatures, such as the Loch Ness Monster, Kappa inhabit the lakes and rivers of Japan and have several features that help them in this environment, such as webbed hands and feet. The skin is described as scaly and green in color.
The main feature of kappa is the water-filled depression on the top of the head. This cavity is surrounded by bristly and short hair. The kappa draws its incredible strength from this water-filled hole, and anyone who faces one can exploit this weakness simply by having the kappa spill water from its head.
Kappa play pranks on humans that range from relatively innocent and loud flatulence or peeking under women's kimonos, to more problematic acts, such as stealing crops, kidnapping children, or raping women. In fact, small children are one of the kappa's favorite meals, although adults are also willing to be eaten. They feed on their helpless victims, sucking the entrails out through the anus.
Often, notices appear near the waterways of some cities warning of kappa. Kappa are also said to be afraid of fire, and some villages hold fireworks festivals every year to scare them away.
There are several theories about the origin of kappa in Japanese myth. One possibility is that they developed from the ancient Japanese practice of floating the fetuses of stillborn babies down rivers and streams. Others think the legend may be based on the existence of the Japanese giant salamander (hanzaki), an aggressive lizard that grabs prey with its powerful jaws.
For many others, kappa are humanoid creatures that actually exist, or have existed. Indeed, unlike the Loch Ness Monster, believers claim to have found evidence of its existence, exposing the mummified remains of a possible kappa. The mummified remains, which appear to be those of a webbed hand and foot, have been displayed in 2014 at the Miyakonojo Shimazu Residence in Miyazaki Prefecture, on the island of Kyuushuu. The remains were recovered by the Miyakonijo Shimazu family in 1818, after a kappa was seen wandering near their home near the river.
The webbed foot measured approximately 8 cm and the arm 15 cm. Scientists have not had the opportunity to analyze the remains, so there is no certainty that these are real remains of some kind of creatures.
