Kappa (mythology)

Kappa

A scroll showing various illustrations of kappa.
Grouping	Yokai
Other name(s)	Gatarō, Kawako
Country	Japan
Habitat	Rivers

A kappa (河童, lit. river child), also known as kawatarō (川太郎), komahiki (駒引, lit. horse puller), or kawatora (川虎, lit. river tiger) is a yōkai demon or imp found in traditional Japanese folklore. The name is a combination of the words kawa (river) and wappa, a variant form of 童 warawa (also warabe) "child." In Shintō they are considered to be one of many suijin (水神,“water deity”), their yorishiro, or one of their temporary appearances. A hairy kappa is called a hyōsube (ひょうすべ). In Japanese Buddhism they are considered to be a kind of hungry ogres. Therefore, Sha Wujing, who is a character from the Chinese story Journey to the West is described like a kappa in Japan. Kappa are distinguished as having a small pool of water suspended on top of their head, signifying their life force and habitat.

There are more than eighty other names associated with the kappa in different regions, including kawappa, gawappa, kōgo, mizushi, mizuchi, enkō, kawaso, suitengu, and dangame. Along with the oni and the tengu, the kappa is among the best-known yōkai in Japan. These various names of the creature vary by region and local folklore, while the term "kappa" remains the name most well known outside of Japan.

Kappa have been used to warn children of the dangers lurking in rivers and lakes, as kappa have been often said to try to lure people into water and pull them.

Kappa legends are said to be based on the Japanese giant salamander or hanzaki, an aggressive salamander that grabs its prey with its powerful jaws. Other theories suggest they are based on historical sightings of the now extinct Japanese river otter as seen from a distance, otters have been known to stand upright and a drunk, frightened or hallucinating person may think they are seeing a humanoid entity and not a wild animal.