Kappa, the Water Deity of Lake Kawaguchi

Alongside oni (demons) and tengu (goblin-like creatures), the kappa is one of Japan’s most beloved and widely imagined mythical creatures. In the Lake Kawaguchi area, which is part of a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, legends of the kappa remain.

On the lakeshore, there once existed a folk remedy called Kappa Kō—a salve believed to heal bruises and cuts—that was in use until just a few decades ago. It is said that the kappa possesses a magical jewel called a mani (a prayer bead), which purifies the waters of the lake, and grants wishes. If you pray together with the kappa, your health and wishes may come true.

A kappa legend is introduced in “Legends and Folklore of the Lake Kawaguchi Area (1958), written by Kenko Ito”.  Long ago, in a home near the lakeshore in the Nagahama area of the town, small fish caught in the lake were skewered on bamboo sticks and preserved around the hearth. At the house of the former village headman, fish kept disappearing late at night. One night, a family member kept watch and saw a wet, black creature wriggling around. When he approached, the black creature fled toward the lake, but left behind a handwritten prescription for a kappa salve written on traditional Japanese paper. When he tried making it, even deep cuts healed quickly. This story became popular, and until the early Showa era (1926-1989), it was known as a famous medicine by the lakeside.

On the other hand, there is also a frightening legend. It is said that a mischievous kappa often disguises itself as a ten-sen coin that has fallen on the lakeshore, and when one tries to pick it up, he or she is pulled deep into the lake and drowns. In the past, it has long been said that water accidents are caused by kappa.

It is believed that the kappa, as a water deity, was born from the lives of people who both benefited from and feared the lake.

Inspired by this local legend, the area now features a specialty dish called Kappa-meshi (“Kappa Rice Bowl”). It includes the kappa’s favorite food—cucumber—along with grated yam placed on freshly cooked rice and is topped with ingredients such as tuna or grilled meat.
Try it at local restaurants and hotels in the area.