Kappa

The "kappa" is a mischievous water goblin of Japanese folklore. The name "kappa" literally translated, means a little demon of water or rivers. Once a frightening "other," in the 20th century, kappa are often more cute than scary nowadays.

## Key Characteristics of Kappa

* Skin may be green or yellow
* Has a plate on his head
* Thee size of a small child or large monkey, with humanoid arms and legs
* Reminiscent of a giant frog or turtle
* Has mostly reptile or amphibian-like qualities
* Usually they have something like a turtle shell on their back and a beak sort of snout
* webbed digits for swimming and may be scaly or slimy
* Live near water

## Kappa's favorite food is cucumber

One of the better known of the kappa's traits is its love of kyuri, or cucumbers. Many of the festivals associated with kappa include offerings of cucumbers (e.g., Takeda 1988,  and Orikuchi 1955,). Here again, the complexity of the kappa belief is apparent. As Takeda points out, there are some regions where it is believed that eating a cucumber and then swimming will lead to certain attack by a kappa, while in other areas it is a way to ensure protection against attack (Takeda 1988).

Although the kappa is attracted to some foods of the uri, or melon, grouping - such as kyuri and kabocha - it is clear that it has an aversion to hyotan (**gourds**), which are also of the melon group.

## The Plate On Its Head

The plate on top of its head holds water. There must always be water in the plate for a kappa to be well and alive. Just one or two drops of water are usually enough for a kappa to come back to live and reach the nearest river for more water. If the dish gets dry and dries out or cracks, the kappa will become weak. In some cases, they seem to die.

The kappa has a couple of weaknesses you can use against it: one, it loses its power if the water bowl on its head is dry, and two, it's very polite.

So if you bow to it, it is compelled to bow back, and there's the trick.

## History

The Japanese kappa is one of the most famous traditional yokai in modern day Japan. Kappa legends have been handed down in regions all over Japan from Hokkaido to Okinawa, but in addition to eyewitness reports of actual kappa sightings, there have also been footprints and mummies, leading to speculation that kappa really exist. It is said that they sometimes played pranks on humans, but legend has it that they saved children who were about to drown and warned them of heavy rains and floods.

Kappa have a cute image, and have been featured in TV anime adaptations of manga and original works (such as ``A Thousand and One Nights of Kappa,'' ``How to Keep a Kappa,'' and ``Arakawa Under the Bridge'') and Japanese movies (``Summer Vacation with Coo the Kappa''). , ``Kappa'', etc.) also feature characters with kappa motifs.

There are also fairy tales and folk tales with kappa as a theme.

In the 1970s, rural revitalization projects and festivals started using the kawaii-ized kappa as a symbol, playing on its association with nature and the disappearing country lifestyle. While it's still used in signs to warn against swimming, some look more like friendly advice than a threat. They're also used in posters asking people not to litter and in campaigns to protect the environment, including clean water.

How to Keep a Kappa Manga coverAdvertisement for a river festivalFrom the movie Summer Days With Coo
## References List

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Linda Lombardi (16). KAPPA: JAPAN'S AQUATIC, CUCUMBER-LOVING, BOOTY-OBSESSED YOKAI. Tofugu.com. Archived from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved on November 8, 2023.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Gabi Greve (04). Kappa - the Kappapedia. Archived from the original on January 29, 2023, 2023. Retrieved on November 10, 2023.