Yokai Abecedary
A series of ongoing illustrations on Yokai, spirits, and creatures from Japanese mythology. Find more information about the world of Yokai in our dedicated blog! This abecedary, created using a mix of manual and AI techniques, brings us closer to the stories of these legendary creatures, helping us learn more about them and wonder if that strange creature we saw by the lake as kids was, in fact, a Kappa.
K like Kappa
The kappa is one of the most well-known creatures in Japanese folklore, a yokai, meaning a spirit or demon, that inhabits the waters of rivers, lakes, and ponds. Traditionally, the kappa is described as a humanoid figure with features similar to a turtle, a beak like a bird, and a shell on its back. A distinctive trait is a cavity on the top of its head, called sara (plate), which holds water. This cavity is the source of its strength: if the kappa loses the water from its head, it becomes weak or even immobile, providing a way to escape from it.
​
Kappa are ambiguous creatures: although they are often mischievous or dangerous, with stories depicting them dragging humans or animals into the water to drown, they can also be benign or even friendly. In tradition, it is said that kappa can make pacts with humans, for example, helping them with farming or even becoming skilled in medicine (it is said that they taught humans certain medical practices, such as rescuing drowning victims). Kappa have a weakness for sumo (Japanese wrestling) and enjoy competing with humans, which makes them vulnerable: if challenged, they often accept the invitation, and when greeted with a bow, they respond with another bow, causing the water to spill from their sara and temporarily losing their power.
​
Even today, near bodies of water, signs with images of kappa can be found as warnings for children, reminding them to be careful near deep waters.
K like Kappa
The kappa is one of the most well-known creatures in Japanese folklore, a yokai, meaning a spirit or demon, that inhabits the waters of rivers, lakes, and ponds. Traditionally, the kappa is described as a humanoid figure with features similar to a turtle, a beak like a bird, and a shell on its back. A distinctive trait is a cavity on the top of its head, called sara (plate), which holds water. This cavity is the source of its strength: if the kappa loses the water from its head, it becomes weak or even immobile, providing a way to escape from it.
​
Kappa are ambiguous creatures: although they are often mischievous or dangerous, with stories depicting them dragging humans or animals into the water to drown, they can also be benign or even friendly. In tradition, it is said that kappa can make pacts with humans, for example, helping them with farming or even becoming skilled in medicine (it is said that they taught humans certain medical practices, such as rescuing drowning victims). Kappa have a weakness for sumo (Japanese wrestling) and enjoy competing with humans, which makes them vulnerable: if challenged, they often accept the invitation, and when greeted with a bow, they respond with another bow, causing the water to spill from their sara and temporarily losing their power.
​
Even today, near bodies of water, signs with images of kappa can be found as warnings for children, reminding them to be careful near deep waters.