KAPPA 河童

Pronunciation: KAH-pah

Translation: The River Child or Water Goblin

Also known as: Kawatarō (川太郎), Gawappa (ガワッパ), Komahiki (駒引き), horse puller; Suiko (水虎), water tiger; Enko (エンコ)

Overview

Kappa are some of the better-known yōkai in Japan and, more recently, all over the world. But these scrawny, child-sized water-dwelling beasties have been prowling the lakes, rivers, ponds, swamps, and oceans of Japan for more than a thousand years. But they haven’t always looked the same.

Over time, the kappa has assumed various appearances. In ancient stories and artwork, you’ll see it depicted as a monkey-like beast, a soft-shelled turtle, and even an otter. However, in contemporary sources, this river child is often categorized into two main types: One, originating in western Japan, is a hairy, simian, shell-less creature. The other, from eastern Japan, is much more prevalent and popular. It is about the size of a three- to ten-year-old child and is covered in scales or slimy froggy skin and possesses webbed hands and feet. It has a parrot-like beak on its face, a tortoise shell on its back, and a saucer-like indentation on the top of its head that holds strength-giving water. The depression is surrounded by a mussed-up ring of bristly hair. Its skin color is typically green these days, but in older texts, it is said to have a red face and yellow eyes. Then there is the smell.

One thing all kappa have in common is their aroma. Kappa are said to reek. It’s not just their normal fishy odor you have to worry about, though—their flatulence is rumored to be so vile it can cause instant death.

The earliest mention of a kappa-like creature can be found in the Nihon Shoki, which was written around C.E. 720. This book describes something called a mizuchi, or “water snake,” living in the Kahashima River in what is now eastern Hiroshima. This brute not only harassed passersby, it killed a whole bunch as well.

The mizuchi continued to bother and even murder people until one brave soul finally confronted the water beast. After threatening it for a while, the man tossed some gourds into the water and posed a challenge. If the mizuchi could sink them, then the man would leave it alone so—we can deduce—it could proceed with its reign of terror on the community. If the mizuchi couldn’t hold the gourds under the water, though, the man would then slay the monster and cut it up into pieces. As it turns out, for as strong and deadly as the mizuchi was, it was easily thwarted by the task of trying to submerge a gourd.

Background and Popular Stories

Originally, these aquatic yōkai were extremely dangerous, heinous creatures that lurked in or near water, waiting to drown oblivious swimmers or (arguably worse) reach in to yank out the mysterious shirikodama (尻子玉)—a small mythical ball that was supposedly located inside a person’s rectum. Removing it also caused death.

If they weren’t drowning you or stealing your shirikodama, these water goblins were inviting you to wrestle, sumo-style. It was an invitation you couldn’t refuse, but you had no chance of winning either. Kappa are made inordinately strong by the water they keep in their skull saucers. But lucky for you, despite their overall vileness, they aren’t completely without manners. The key to defeating one, if you don’t have a gourd handy, is to politely bow deeply to your kappa opponent before the match. It will bow in return, thus draining the water from its head and weakening it. A couple other surefire kappa deterrents are: iron, ginger, and saliva. These days, fortunately, kappa have undergone a transformation into a more adorable, whimsical, and much less menacing persona.