archiemcphee:Our list of reasons to visit Japan just keeps growing. The town of Fukusaki in Hyōgo
archiemcphee: Our list of reasons to visit Japan just keeps growing. The town of Fukusaki in Hyōgo Prefecture has its very own water monster! Clearly it’s time for another Geyser of Awesome Field Trip. Fukisaki spend about 3 million yen ($25,000) to install a red, mechanical kappa in the pond at Tsujikawayama Park. The Kappa (Japanese for “River-child”) is a type of supernatural monster, or yōkai, found in Japanese folklore. They’re said to inhabit the Japan’s ponds and rivers and are also considered cryptids. Kappa are usually depicted as roughly humanoid in form, about the size of a child, with reptilian skin, beaked mouths, webbed fingers and, most importantly, a special flat, hairless “plate” on the top of their head which must always be filled with water. A kappa whose plate dries out while it’s on land loses its power and may also die. For this reason kappa often wear a metal cap on their heads when they leave the water. They’re considered mischievous troublemakers and tricksters and are known to have a serious weakness for cucumbers. The kappa in the water at Tsujikawayama Park is named Gajiro and he lurks just beneath the surface of the water. Every 30 minutes the water begins to bubble ominously and Gajiro surfaces to both delight and terrify park visitors. He also has a brother named Gataro squating nearby at the water’s edge. But enough talk, click here and then here to watch this awesomely creepy kappa in action. [via RocketNews24] -- source link