benevolent Kappa

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- KAPPA - 河童 / 合羽　/ かっぱ /　カッパ - types of Kappa -
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- benevolent Kappa 慈善河童　jizen no Kappa -
helping people, teaching people





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Kappa are mostly evil, but not always.
When benevolent, the Kappa is supposedly a skilled teacher in the art of bone setting and other medical skills. In the real world of medicine, the term “kappa” refers to a monoclonal plasma cell related to bone marrow.
In addition, the Kappa is always portrayed as trustworthy despite its many evil ways. When captured and forced to promise never again to harm anyone, the kappa always keeps its promise.
Kappa often help or mentor those who outwit them or capture them.

Writes scholar Michael Dylan Foster:
"The kappa is notorious for attempting to lure horses and cows to a watery death; but the key word here is attempting. In most versions of this legend, the kappa fails; its plan backfires and it (or just its arm) is pulled by the startled horse all the way to the stable. The kappa's success rate in fondling women's shiri in the toilet may be slightly higher, but often on its second attempt its arm is grabbed and yanked from the body. And when its mischief goes awry, when it is weakened from losing water from its sara or incapacitated (emasculated) by a yanked-off arm, the honest and benevolent side of the kappa's nature surfaces.
In order to be set free or receive back its arm (the arm can often be reattached within a certain number of days), the kappa will take an oath. It will pledge, for instance, to stop harassing people in the area, or to assist with work in the fields, or to teach its captor secret bonesetting techniques and formulas for making medicine and salves. It should be noted that this last trait - the kappa's familiarity with bonesetting and other medical procedures - is one of the most widespread of the beliefs associated with the kappa.”

- source : Mark Schumacher


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Once befriended, kappa may perform any number of tasks for human beings, such as helping farmers irrigate their land. Sometimes, they bring fresh fish, which is regarded as a mark of good fortune for the family that receives it. They are also highly knowledgeable about medicine, and legend states that they taught the art of bone setting to human beings.
Due to these benevolent aspects, some shrines are dedicated to the worship of particularly helpful kappa. There were also festivals meant to placate the kappa in order to obtain a good harvest, some of which still take place today. These festivals generally took place during the two equinoxes of the year, when the kappa traveled from the rivers to the mountains and vice versa.
Kappa may also be tricked into helping people. Their deep sense of decorum prevents them from breaking an oath, for example.
... While they are primarily water creatures, they do on occasion venture on to land. When they do, the plate can be covered with a metal cap for protection. In fact, in some versions of the legends, kappa spend spring and summer in the water, and the rest of the year in the mountains as Yama no Kami (山の神, “mountain deities”).
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !


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- Kappa leading the blind
. - Kappa leading the blind - 根付　Netsuke .

still trying to find the story behind this kappa !

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. Joken-Ji 常堅寺 in Tono, Iwate Tono, Iwate 遠野 岩手 .



. Kawako no Miya 河伯の宮 Shrine for "Earl Kappa" .
Shimane, Matsue　松江 / 河内村 Kawachimura



. Sakuma Asuka 佐久間あすか - Painter .
Kappa and the Dog


. - Zenji Kappa 禅師河童 Kappa the Zen Teacher - .
Kappa give his life to save the drowning priest Juen Zenji 寿円禅師 - Yamaguchi


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. - - - Join my Kappa friends on facebook ! - - - .

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. . Legends - Kappa densetsu　河童伝説 - Introduction . .

. Mingei 民芸　Regional Folk　Art from Japan .

- benevolentkappa -
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