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What is a Kappa?

There are many mysterious creatures or beings in Japanese folklore. One of the popular ones is the Kappa which dwells in freshwater areas such as in ponds, rivers and lakes. The Kappa (河童 river child) is sometimes called Kawataro (河太郎 river boy), Kawako (河伯 river earl or 河子 river child), Kawaranbe (河ランベ), Gatarō (がたろう) or Enko (猿猴), among many other names. There are no less than 80 names for the Kappa.

Even though Kappa sightings are rare, the Japanese strongly believe in its existence. It is believed that Kappas are semi-aquatic creatures, mostly living in the water and sometimes venturing onto land.

The Kappa is usually depicted as a yokai (demon). In the Shinto religion however, the Kappa is considered to be a Kenshin (avatar) of the Suijin (水神 water deity). In Aomori and Miyaki prefectures of Japan, shrines are set up and dedicated to the worship of the Kappa as a water deity. In Tokyo, Ushiku, Komaki and Misawa, a summer festival called the “Kappa Matsuri” is held annually in honour of the mythical Kappa.

Appearance

An illustration of a Kappa, with its turtle-like carapace (upper shell) clearly shown.

• Body – the Kappa is said to look like a human child weighing about 45kg (20lb), with a height between 60 – 100cm (24 – 40in). Its body is greenish, smelly and slimy which makes it hard to be captured. In some places, hairy-bodied Kappas are sighted.
• Back – the Kappa has a turtle-like carapace (upper shell) on its back.
• Hands and feet – webbed hands and feet enable the Kappa to move freely in the water. The arms are connected to each other through the torso and can slide from one side to another. If a Kappa’s arm is cut off, it has the ability to regrow. It is said that their arms are an effective medicine for sprains.
• Head – the top of the head of the Kappa is a dent-like bowl called the sara. When the creature is out of the water, the sara must be filled with water or it will lose its power and may even die.
• Eyes – the Kappa’s eyes are round and glowing.
• Mouth and nose – the Kappa has a sharp beak and its nose is extremely sensitive towards smells.

Behaviour

Kappas are deemed as mischievous troublemakers or tricksters with a penchant for wrestling. The Kappas are said to be malevolent and like to lure people, especially children, into the water and drown them so that they can drink their victim’s blood and eat their intestines. They are also known to look for a mystical ball in their victim’s anus. This ball is called shirikodama (尻子玉) which contains the victim’s soul. People believe that it is the shirikodama that gives power to the Kappas. Apart from attacking humans, they also attack animals such as horses and cows.

As cucumber is their favourite food, Kappas will venture out from the water just to get one on land. To avoid being attacked by them, villagers will write their names and birth dates on a cucumber so that they will not be attacked once a Kappa eats it. In addition to cucumber, the Kappas also love to eat nasu (eggplant), soba (buckwheat noodles), natto (fermented beans) and kabocha (winter squash).

While the Kappas are generally reported to be malevolent creatures, they can also be amicable to humans. In some places, people give food offerings to the Kappas with the hope that the creatures will not harm them. In other cases, it is to appease them and request for tasks to be carried out, such as irrigating the farmland. The Kappas are also known for their special skills and deep knowledge of medicine known only to the yokai. According to Japanese legend, it was the Kappas who taught humans the art of sekkotsu (bone-setting).

Defence Against the Kappa

Below are several ways to defeat or protect oneself from a Kappa if you happen to stumble upon one:

Bowing

Kappas are creatures that place a high degree of emphasis on politeness, as does Japanese culture in general. So if you encounter a Kappa, you should bow deeply to it, preferably with a 90-degree bow. Being extremely polite creatures, they will bow even lower which will make them spill the water on the top of their head. This will render them powerless and without water on their heads, the Kappas will not be able to move or leave the bowing position. During this time, if a person refills the water for the Kappa, the creature will have to serve that person for eternity.

Pull their hands off

Kappas have unusual hands that can easily detach from their body. Hence if you encounter a Kappa, try to sneak up to it and swiftly pull off its arms. The Kappa will promise you anything in order to have its arms back.

Cucumbers

Kappas love cucumbers more than they love eating a human child. Cucumbers are commonly offered to the Kappas in rivers to ensure the safety of the villagers and their children. The effect of eating cucumbers however, differs according to which accounts you listen to. Some traditions say that eating a cucumber before going into the water will help to deter them from attacking. According to other traditions however, it is said that doing so will actually provoke the Kappas to attack.

Iron

Kappas hate iron and they do not like it when objects made from iron fall into the water. There are several accounts where people have fended off the Kappas by carrying a piece of iron with them. In some tales, Kappas will offer a reward if someone helps them to remove iron objects that have fallen into the water.

A Kappa with its favourite food, cucumber

Similar Cryptid Creatures

Around the world, in other countries and cultures, there are many reports of creatures similar to the Kappa. Some of the examples include:

Nix

Nix are spirits who dwell in quiet rivers and lakes in England, Germany and Scandinavia. These spirits, which feature heavily in Germanic and Nordic folklore, love water as much as they love music. It is said that they use their songs to seduce and lure their victims to a watery demise.

Each culture has its own version of the Nix’s appearance and this lack of a fixed description seems to come from the Nix themselves. This is because they are avid shapeshifters and may appear as humans, merpeople (mermaid people), snakes, fish, sunken treasures or even horses. In human form, they usually adopt an elegant appearance. Their ears and eyes are sharper than a normal human being’s, and there is a hint of green or blue in their hair and skin.

Like the Kappa, the nature of the Nix is also debatable depending on which stories you listen to. According to some tales, the Nix are dangerous. Using their music and beauty, they seduce their would-be victims, luring them to the water’s edge before they are dragged in to be drowned.

In other tales, the Nix are wonderful teachers and once they accept a human as their student, they have the ability to impart their musical talents.

Siyokoy

In Filipino mythology, the Siyokoy are members of the Bantay Tubik (merfolk). They are usually depicted as humanoids with green skin and their bodies are covered in scales. Their hands and feet are webbed, and they have fins. Similar to the Japanese Kappa, the Siyokoy are known to eat humans after drowning them.

Myth or Fact?

Many cite the legend of the Kappa as merely lore intended to scare misbehaving children. A lot of the stories focus on what happens to disobedient children – they will end up becoming the Kappa’s victims. If the children venture too close to the water without their parents’ supervision, they will be pulled into the water and be eaten alive by the Kappa, who will then drink their blood and devour their internal organs. Nevertheless, as gory as it may sound, these tales help to reduce the number of children drowning and other unfortunate events that may occur due to carelessness.

It is also possible that the Kappa may be a giant sand salamander and the description provided by locals who encountered it just grew out of hand. Salamanders can grow up to 5 feet in length and have skin tones similar to that of a Kappa. They are known for grabbing their prey with strong jaws and pulling them into the water. This might be the source of the story of how a Kappa drags its prey into the water to drown them before extracting their shirikodama.

More Pictures and Videos

Ancient Aliens: The Legendary Japanese Kappa
(S8, E7) | History

Or view the video on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjOWPD7hJhw

Kappa – Water Creature (1994)

Or view the video on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=davtDnn5ucQ&t=2896s

It is said that if you come across a fearsome Kappa, you should bow to it. Because it highly values politeness, the Kappa will bow back, causing it to spill the water on the crown of its head, thereby immobilising it.

Signs warning against the Kappas

Left: Kappa mummy at Zuiryūji Temple, Osaka. Right: Kappa mummy at the National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden (Netherlands).

A Kappa mummy at Matsuura Brewery

Mummified remains purported to be from the Kappa

什么是河童？

日本文化里有许多神秘的生物，据说，其中一种是居住在日本淡水区域如池塘、河流和湖泊的“河童”。河童也叫做河太郎、河伯、河子或猿猴。它有不少过80个不同的名称。虽然没有人真正看过河童，但是日本人却很相信河童的存在。据说河童是一种双栖动物，大部分时间都生活在水里，但是偶尔也会到陆地上活动。

河童被认为是鬼怪的一种。日本传统宗教神道则相信河童是水神。在日本的青森县和佐賀县的三養基町都能找到把河童供奉为水神的神龛。每年的夏季，在东京、牛久市、小牧市、三泽市都会为河童举办一个“河童祭”。
 

外形

河童绘图，其龟壳般的背部清晰可见。

• 身体 – 根据传说，河童长得像一个小孩，但是它的身体是绿色的。它的体重大概为45公斤（20磅），身高约60公分（24寸）至100公分（40寸）左右。它的身体会发出臭味和排出黏液。因此，要捕捉它几乎是一件不可能的事。有些地方的河童目击者则说他们看到的河童全身长满了毛发。
• 背 – 它的背上有像龟背一样的甲壳。
• 四肢 – 河童的手足皆有蹼，以方便在水中活动。它的两只手臂通过躯干相连在一起，并可以从一边延伸到另一边去。河童的手被砍断后有再生的能力。据说，它们的手臂对治疗扭伤十分有效。
• 头 – 河童的头顶凹陷如碗。当河童离开水里到陆地时，这个凹陷处必须储满水，否则它的超能力将会消失，更有可能造成死亡。
• 眼 – 它的眼睛呈圆形，而且会发光。
• 口和鼻 – 它有着一个犹如鸟的喙，嗅觉也非常敏锐。

行为

河童喜欢惹是生非和恶作剧，对于摔跤更有着莫大的兴趣。它们会引诱受害者尤其是小孩到水中，把受害者溺毙后，再喝他们的血和吞食他们的内脏。根据传说，河童还有一个不可思议的行为，它们会在其受害者的肛门里寻找一种叫“尻子玉”的神秘球状物。据说，这个球状物体含有人类的灵魂，人们相信这就是给予河童超能力的来源。除了人类，河童也会捕猎马和牛等动物。

黄瓜是河童最喜爱的食物。河童偶尔会到陆地上活动，目的就是为了寻找黄瓜。为了防止被河童攻击，人们还会把自己的名字和出生日期写在黄瓜上。当河童吃下该黄瓜后，它就不会攻击其人。除了黄瓜，河童也爱吃矮瓜、蕎麦面、纳豆和冬瓜。

河童虽看起来很邪恶，但有时候它们也能与人类和睦相处。在一些地方，为了让河童不攻击他们，人们会向河童供养食物。在一些特殊情况下，也有一部分人会请求河童的帮忙，比如让它们帮助灌溉田地。

河童也擅长某些只有“妖怪”才懂得的医学知识。据日本传说，整骨这方面的学问就是河童传授给人类的。
 

对付河童

如果遇上了河童，以下是几种能保护自己的方式：
 

鞠躬

就如日本文化所强调的，河童也很讲究礼仪。如果遇到了河童，我们应该向它鞠躬（最好是呈现90度鞠躬）。由于河童非常注重礼貌，它会更深地鞠躬回礼。这时，它头顶上的水就会倒出来。没有了头顶上的水，河童的超能力就会消失。它也会因此变得动弹不得，并停留在鞠躬的姿势中。如果这时有人给河童填水，它就会永远地为此人效劳。

把它们的手扯断

基于河童很特别的手臂构造，导致它们的手很容易被拉断。如果你遇到了河童，可以尝试快速地把它的手臂扯断。为了赎回手臂，河童会答应你的任何请求。
 

黄瓜

河童爱吃黄瓜更胜于爱吃小孩。一般上人们会向河童供奉黄瓜以确保村民及小孩的安全。吃黄瓜以避免被河童攻击的效果，则有不同的说法。一些传统相信在入水之前吃黄瓜可以避免被河童袭击。但是另一个传统则认为，人们在入水之前吃黄瓜反会引来杀身之祸。
 

铁

河童非常厌恶铁，它不喜欢任何铁制品掉入水中。日本的民间传说之中有提及人们因随身携带铁制品而击退河童的故事。在一些故事里，也有提到河童会犒赏那些把铁制品从水里取出来的人。

河童与它最爱的食物——黄瓜

其他文化里长得像河童的生物

在全球各地不同的国家和文化里，也有许多类似河童生物存在的报道。以下是其中一些例子：

尼克斯

据说尼克斯是一种鬼魂，它们通常出没在英国、德国还有北欧僻静的河或湖里。尼克斯很喜爱水和音乐，它们美妙的歌声常常会吸引人类到它们居住的河岸旁。不同的文化对尼克斯都有各自的描述，这来自尼克斯本身的特点。尼克斯拥有变身的超能力，它们可以变成人、人鱼、蛇、鱼、沉在水底的宝藏或甚至是马。它们变成人类时，外貌通常会长得比一般人类高雅。它们的耳朵和眼睛比常人锐利，头发和皮肤则呈微绿或微蓝色。

与河童一样，关于尼克斯的传说也各有不同。一些传说认为尼克斯是危险的，它们会利用音乐和美色把受害者有诱骗到水边后，再把他们拖下水里淹死。

在另一些传说中，尼克斯则是出色的老师。一旦它们接受人类作为它们的学生，它们就会把音乐才能传授给对方。

斯游鬼

斯游鬼是菲律宾神秘学里的一种水生动物。它们有一个类似人的外形，但是皮肤呈绿色，身上盖满了鳞片。它们的手脚都有蹼，身上长有鳍。就像日本的河童，斯游鬼会把人溺毙后再吃他们。

神话或事实？

很多人认为河童只是一个用来吓唬小孩的传说。在许多河童的故事里，受害者通常都是一些不听话的小孩。如果小孩在没有长辈的监督下往有水的地方跑，河童就会把他们拉入水中，然后把这些小孩活生生吃掉，并吞食他们的血和内脏。即使这种传说很可怕，它们却有效地减少了儿童溺毙事件或是防止小孩在没有长辈的监督下发生意外。

河童也可能是一种巨型的鲵鱼。这种巨鲵的长度可达5尺，身体的颜色和河童颇为相似。它们会用强大的颚部把猎物咬紧再拖入水中。关于河童溺毙人类然后取走他们的“尻子玉”的说法可能由此而来。
 

更多照片和视频

古代外星人：日本河童的传奇（第八季，第七集）| 历史

或在YouTube上观看：
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjOWPD7hJhw

河童 – 水中生物（1994）

或在YouTube上观看：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=davtDnn5ucQ&t=2896s

据说，如果遇到一个凶恶的河童，我们应该向它鞠躬。由于河童非常注重礼貌，它也会鞠躬回礼，导致它头顶上的水倒出来，使它因此无法移动。

河童警示牌

左：大阪瑞龙寺里的河童木乃伊。右：荷兰莱顿国立民族学博物馆里的河童木乃伊。

松浦酿酒厂的河童木乃伊

据说是河童的遗骸

 
Sources | 来源:

• “Kappa Matsuri”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kappa_Matsuri (accessed: 23 July 2019)
• Tarr, Daniel, “Kappa Monsters”, 2014, http://www.tarrdaniel.com/documents/KulturalisAntropologia/kappa_monster.html (accessed: 23 July 2019)
• “河童 （民间传说中的一种两栖动物)”, https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E6%B2%B3%E7%AB%A5/93962 (accessed: 23 July 2019)
• “Kappa (folklore)”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kappa_(folklore) (accessed: 23 July 2019)

For more interesting information | 更多精彩内容:

• Bizarre Cryptids
• The study of cryptozoology
• Searching For the Yeti
• Creepy Tales of the Lizard Man
• 10 Japanese Folklore Creatures

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