Japanese Kappa Spirit A Giant Salamander

Do you know what a Kappa is?

It's a Japanese water spirit that is supposed to be a child killer. A bogey man that parents used to use to frighten their children into obedience. The image above is a partial scene drawn by legendary ukiyo-e artist Hokusai.

Thirty-eight years ago, I used to scare the bejabbers out of my little brother telling him about these strange monsters called the Zimms that lived in our furnace room. 30 years later my brother Ben got his revenge on me by winning an Emmy for his part in writing the animated kids program Roly Poly Oly.

Stories. Stories made more real with every telling. That's how legends are born.

In Japan, originally via the power of oral history (and who doesn't like oral?), the tale of a river monster that took a child was born hundreds and hundreds of years ago.

This monster of the waters was known by many names, including: Kappa (河童 river child), or Kawatarō (河太郎 river boy) or Kawako (河伯 river earl), or Kawako (河子 river child), or Kawaranbe (河ランベ), or Gatarō (がたろう) or Enkō (猿猴).

 This is a Kappa drawings from mid-19th century Suiko juni-hin no zu 水虎十二品之図 (Illustrated Guide to 12 Types of Kappa).
 Source: National Diet Library (Tokyo).

While legend has it that the Kappa was an evil spirit, it would, if captured, offer to teach the captor medicines or offer with some menial farm work - but only if it would let it go when the chore was done. in fact, the Kappa is said to have brought the art of bone setting to man.

Although by the Edo-jidai (Edo period - 1603-1868), the Kappa was also regarded as a sometimes positive water spirit that could be befriended - you treat it right by providing gifts, and it would do the same.

Not surprisingly, the best monsters are those that are humanoid in appearance, and the Kappa is no exception.

Described as being the size of an eight-year-old child, the Kappa is supposed to have a large mouth that looks like a beak, scaly blue, orange or brown skin, fingers that grip - even claws on the end, webbed hands and feet. They are supposed to be able to swim like a fish and even smell like one. It is

While the beak is usually the key feature in all of the recent stories, mystically, a Kappa is supposed to have a bowl-shaped indent in its head that holds water... the source of its power. Having a full bowl of water in its head keeps it alive when it leaves the safety of the water. But, if the bowl spills the water out, the kappa may die.

(I actually first heard about the Kappa via a comic book that I will tell you about this week-end. It's brilliant.)

But more level-headed folks believe that the legend of the Kappa may hold its origins with a real creature.

I was recently watching a television show called River Monsters starring Jeremy Wade (I love this show and never miss an episode!), when he took on the legend of the Kappa. Wade's shows have him track down local legends to freshwater catch some of the rarest and largest fish on the planet.

In Japan, Wade found out that the Kappa may actually be a Hanzaki, a Japanese giant salamander.

Watch this clip of the show to see what the Hanzaki looks like:

How did a creature that may have owed its origin to a Japanese giant salamander morph into a human-like monster with a bowl of water in its head?

Purple monkey underpants.

Try this experiment: Whisper a sentence to one person and have them whisper to another and so and so until 30 people have become involved.

That sentence can only be whispered one time to each person. That sentence, after reaching the 30th person will more than likely bear little resemblance to the original sentence. Purple monkey underpants. A nonsensical invention of my own that I used to create a comic story in Strange Fun Comics which dictates how a misunderstanding by a monk scribe led to priest having to remain celibate for life, rather than celebrate life. The purple monkey thing was the title.

Anyhow, while the photo above comes from the website Arkive, it says that the Hanzaki is harmless... but others seem to disagree, as it does possess a good bite and has bitten humans prying too near its underwater home. Granted, the salamander in the River Monsters video is pretty pissed off at being unceremoniously ripped from its hiding hole.

Anyhow... here's some facts:

• lives to about 80 years of age - a captive one live for 52 years; 
• 5-feet (1.524 meters) long;
• 50 pounds (22.7 kilograms);
• long muscular body;
• has hands and fingers;
• has rows of hidden teeth inside its mouth;
• eats fish, but will swallow it whole, where the fish is alive inside it until its gastric juices kill it;
• nocturnal;
• lives in cool, clear streams; 
• when threatened it releases a milky substance that smells like pepper;
• also known as the giant pepper fish (Ōsanshōuo (オオサンショウウオ/大山椒魚)
• poor eyesight;
• has sensory cells along body that help it hunt and sense prey; 
• lays eggs under water - two eggs sacs each containing about 70 eggs at a time;
• 2nd-largest salamander in world after Chinese Giant Salamander at 1.8 meters (6-feet);
• survivor from the Upper Jurassic age of 140 million years ago.

According to a story from Japan, about 400 years ago in Asahigawa Asahi River at a placed called Ryuto-ga-fuchi (Dragon's Head Abyss) locals say there was a giant Giant Salamander that was 11 meters (36 feet) in length with a body diameter of about 5.5 meters (18 feet).

Now that's a monster! Of course, when it comes to tales from fishermen, size should always be taken with a grain of salt.

But... if you don't believe me about the teeth, check out the photo below of a hand that was bitten by a Hanzaki.

So... do the legends of the Japanese Kappa water spirit owes it origins to the Hanzaki Japanese giant salamander? We'll never know, of course, unless someone invents a WayBack Machine... but it seems as good a place to start as any.

Cheers
Andrew Joseph