Japanese Folklore Kappa Yokai

Kappa 河童 kappa known also as kawatarô 川太郎 komahiki or kawako 川子 is a yôkai from the japanese mythology.

Japanese folklore kappa yokai. A kappa also known as kawatarō komahiki kawatora or suiko is an amphibious yōkai demon or imp found in traditional japanese folklore. In japan the creatures and strange phenomena of folklore have been known historically by a variety of terms including mononoke bakemonoand obake but most commonly today they are called yōkai a word that has become a catchall for everything spooky from creepy monster to ghostly spirit to mysterious phenomenon. The kappa are known to favor cucumbers and love to engage in sumo wrestling. Known as amabie アマビエ the humanoid fish yōkai a class of supernatural spirits popularized in japanese mythology was first.

Japanese folklore is a rich tapestry of mischievous spirits child eating monsters and shape shifting animals a little knowledge of which can give great insight into the culture when you visit. This strange creature is said to have the appearance of both a humanoid and reptile and are extremely cunning. They are typically depicted as green human like beings with webbed hands and feet and a turtle like carapace on their backs. The kappa is a mythological monster said to inhabit ponds and rivers in japan.

Most trips to japan will involve visiting some usually many temples shrines castles and other traditional historical locations. Kappa are aquatic reptilian humanoids who inhabit the rivers and streams flowing over japan. A depression on its head called its dish retains water and if this is damaged or its liquid is lost the kappa is severely weakened. The kappa is one of japan s most famous monsters it is an amphibious yokai demon or imp and lives in the rivers lakes ponds waterways and wells of japan.

The translation of kappa is a river child of the words kawa river and wappa a variant of warawa child. Kappa are generally the size and shape of a human child yet despite their small stature they are physically stronger than a grown man. Kappas have over 80 different names though the most common are kawappa gawappa and kawaso. The monsters and demons of japanese folklore.

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