河童 (Kappa)

きのう, I learned about the kappa (河童) during Jeopardy. Kappa means river child, and these creatures are humanoid, turtle-esque creatures that live in the river. The kappa have little dishes on their head. The kappa are told to lure people towards these bodies of water and then pull them under in order to drown them. The kappa are very mischevious and love cucumbers. These creatures are part of yokai-- supernatural beings in Japanese mythology. Other yokai (妖怪) include tanuki, kitsune, onimaru, yuki onna, amabie, jorogumo, onimaru, and oni. These creatures are all magical and hold status within Japanese culture. You can see statues, paintings, and images of these yokai in various places in Japan. Including shrines, musuems, and older buildings.