Kappa (folklore)

Kappa (folklore)

Kappa (河童?, "river-child"), alternatively called Kawatarō (川太郎?, "river-boy"), Komahiki (“horse puller”), or Kawako (川子?, "river-child"), are legendary creatures, a type of water sprite found in Japanese folklore. In Shintō they are considered to be one of many suijin (水神,“water deity”). A hair-covered variation of a Kappa is called a Hyōsube (ひょうすべ?). There are more than eighty other names associated with the kappa in different regions which include Kawappa, Gawappa, Kōgo, Mizushi, Mizuchi, Enkō, Kawaso, Suitengu, and Dangame.

Kappa are similar to Finnish Näkki, Scandinavian/Germanic Näck/Neck, Slavian Vodník and Scottish Kelpie in that all have been used to scare children of dangers lurking in waters.

It has been suggested that the kappa legends are based on the Japanese giant salamander or "hanzaki", an aggressive salamander which grabs its prey with its powerful jaws.