Kappa - The Kappapedia

3/20/2015

Yamagata Prefecture

Its capital is Yamagata city.
During the Heian Period (794–1185), the Fujiwara (藤原) family ruled the area. Yamagata City flourished during the Edo Period (1603–1867) due to its status as a castle town and post station, famous for beni (red safflower dye used in the production of handspun silk). In 1689, the famous haiku poet, Matsuo Bashō visited Yamagata during his five-month trip to the northern regions of Japan.
- more in the wikipedia -

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Mahoroba Kappa Matsuri　まほろば河童まつり
August 4, 2013 - 高畠町 Takahata Machi
As for mikoshi portable shrine and parade, "the naga" is the main event or kappa having fun!
- source : yamagatakanko.com

2014年8月3日 August 2014
「河童神輿行列」Kappa Mikoshi Parade from the school
- source and more photos : 高畠四中 -　学校日誌

. mahoroba まほろば a place of peace and bliss - and Kappa .

Kappatsunao Festival

Kappa legend ... ... which is handed down to Mogami River
「松川の河童伝説」Matsukawa no Kappa Densetsu　

A cucumber roll of 250m in length . . .
- source : yamagatakanko.jp.e.db.hp.

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Legend about the Kappa living in river Mogamigawa 最上川に住む河童

Once upon a time
there lived a village headman at the banks of river Mogamigawa - and he had a very beautiful daughter!
She was his only daughter and he loved her so very much and cared for her lovingly.
But one day all of a sudden her face became all pale green and she got worse every day.
He called a doctor to cure her, but he did not know the reason for her illness. And the girl herself also did not know what had gotten into her all of a sudden.

So the desparate father went to the miko 巫女 Shinto shrine shaman lady to have a look at the girl. The miko knew the answer:
"This is the deed of a Kappa. Seems a Kappa has taken a fancy to your daughter. If you can get hold of a skilfull Buddhist priest, he can perform a ritual of "Cutting off the Road" (michi kiri 道切) to catch the Kappa."

So the village headman went to an old temple and asked the priest to perform the exorcism rites 道切りの呪文.
The priest went to the river Mogamigawa, from where the Kappa made his entry into the village, and began his prayers and chanting.
As he was praying, the waters receeded very fast.

"Let go of the spell you put onto the headman's daughter, old Kappa!
Bring us a written statement 証文 that you will never harm anyone in this village and leave it here until tomorrow morning. If you do not comply, I will take away all the water of this river!"

When the priest called out his request, there was a feeble answer from the river:
"Ok, Ok, please wait until tomorrow morning!"

From the next morning on, the daughter was free of the evil spell and beautiful as ever.
And at the front gate of the temple where the priest lived there was a scroll with the promise of the Kappa.

It seems this scroll is still held in honor at a temple in Takahata.
Just to think that there was a priest who could retract all the water of the river Mogamigawa!

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michikiri, michi-kiri 道切 / 道切り "Cutting off the Road"
tsujigiri 辻切り（つじぎり） cutting off a crossroad

- wikipedia -

At the part where the main road enters a village, Dososhin deities are enshrined, sacred 注連縄　shimenawa ropes (or sometimes snakes made of straw) and other amulets are hung and 草履　zori (or waraji) straw sandals are offered to the deities in order to prevent evil spirits and monsters (or Kappa in this story) from entering and drive them away.

勧請縄 Kanjonawa rope

. Dosojin 道祖神 Dososhin - Wayside Deities .

A straw figure at the roadside to ward off evil influence:
. O-Ningyoo Sama お人形様　 O-Ningyo Sama .
Figures of "boundary deities" sakaigami 境神 like this were put at the entrance of a village to ward off evil.

. tsujigiri 辻斬り "to kill someone at a crossroad" .

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最上川河童舟下り A Kappa going down the river Mogamigawa

source :　kappauv.com/sub3/hakubutu/ - Kappa Museum

In the front of the pottery boat a female Kappa is sitting, enjoying the boat ride.

Mogamigawa - kappa tobikomu mizu no oto

this old river -
the sound of water
as the Kappa jumps in

五月雨を集めてはやし最上川
samidare o atsumete hayashi Mogamigawa

-Oku no Hosomichi - 奥の細道 - おくのほそ道
The Narrow Road to the Deep North
Matsuo Basho　松尾芭蕉
. - - - Station 28 - Mogamigawa 最上川 - - - .

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- reference -

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

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. Kappa densetsu　河童伝説, Kappa minwa 河童民話 - Legends - Introduction .

. Mingei 民芸　Regional Folk　Art from Japan .

- #kappayamagata #yamagata -
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3/18/2015

moss koke

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Others look like a Kappa !

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long rain -
colorful moss grows
into a Kappa

Gabi Greve, 2015

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. WKD - koke 苔 moss .
- Introduction -

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

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. Kappa densetsu　河童伝説, Kappa minwa 河童民話 - Legends - Introduction .

. Mingei 民芸　Regional Folk　Art from Japan .

- #kappamoss #moss #koke #kappakoke -
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Kappa History

- quote
The kappa, a water goblin that has become almost the emblem of Japanese folklore,
is not to be found in medieval tale literature at all.
Above all, farmers and their preoccupations, so basic to the modern folktale, are rare in the older literature.
Although they do include popular elements, the medieval collections are not folk literature.
- source : books.google.co.jp

. Legends and Folktales from Japan - Introduction .

- source : 河童日本紀行

size of Kappa during history
During the Edo period it was still seen as about 150 cm, now it has gone down to 120 cm.

Some Kappa legends can be dated by the persons involved, names of a local lord or a famous priest.
Records are kept in temples, shrines, villages and old families.

Here are legends about the Kappa dating before 1600.

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Fukushima 福島県

. Gennō Shinshō 源翁心昭 Priest Genno Shinsho .
(1329 - 1400)

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Ibaraki 茨城県

. Tetsugi Jinja 手接神社 .
lit. "The Shrine of the Grafted Arm"
. . . some say it was toward the end of the Heian period, on a late afternoon, the Lord Serizawa 芹澤氏　was riding alone along the banks of a river.

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Kyushu　九州　

Kagoshima 鹿児島
. Toda Kannon 戸田観音 .
Lord Shibuya Tokushige Kedo-In 渋谷（祁答院）徳重, 1459

Kumamoto 熊本県　and Fukuoka　福岡県
. - Tanushimaru 田主丸 - Kumamoto and Fukuoka - .
九千坊 Kyusenbo　- coming from China

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Miyagi 宮城県　　

. Sakanoue no Tamuramaro 坂上田村麻呂 .
(758 - 811)

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

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. Kappa densetsu　河童伝説, Kappa minwa 河童民話 - Legends - Introduction .

. Mingei 民芸　Regional Folk　Art from Japan .

- #kappahistory #history -
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3/15/2015

Fukushima Prefecture

Fukushima Prefecture (福島県 Fukushima-ken)
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region on the island of Honshu.
The capital is the city of Fukushima.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

Some legends are about the water yokai 水の伝説.

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福島県 Fukushima prefecture

Once upon a time
Father and Mother Kappa lived in the river together on friendly terms with the village children.
One day one of the bad kids poured the water out of the Kappa's plate. From that day on, the Kappa were not seen any more. But every year during the O-Bon festival for the ancestors in late summer, when people floated the lanterns for the dead 盆に川灯籠を流す, there never was a river accident with any casualties.
--
The relationship between Kappa and the cucumbers is close, here it is even called
Kappakyuuri かっぱきゅうり.
It is also related to the 天王祭 Tennoo Sai Festival on June 15.

kyuuri tenno sai きゅうり天王祭 Tennoo Festival with cucumbers

also celebrated in other prefectures, for example in Yamagata at Yasaka Jinja 八坂神社.

「きゅうり天王さん」Kyuri Tennoo San, 「きゅうり天王さま」Kyuri Tenno Sama
Kappa Matsuri「かっぱまつり」。
At first people offer cucumbers and pray for health and protection of disasters for the coming year.
- source : www.yachi-hachiman.jp
山形県西村山郡河北町谷地224

. The Deity Tennoo, Gozu Tennō (牛頭天王) and the Gion Festival .

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At the temple 玉泉寺 Gyokusen-Ji there is the grave of the warlord 大積伊賀守隆鎮

source :　moji-blog.seesaa.net
大積隆鎮の墓 Ozumi, the former Lord at 門司城の主 Moji Castle.

If horses eat a bit from the moss growing on the grave, a Kappa will not be able to pull them into water.

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In the deep river water there live the Kappa who pull the children's chinchin (penis).
In the deep mountains there lives the Old Woman of the Mountain, Yamanba 山姥.
So you should never go to the river alone or go to the mountains alone.
In the mountains also wear a bell (as usually done to protect against bears.)

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福島市 Fukushima city

On the 4th day of May at Moniwa, people throw one mochi rice cake into the river for the Kappa. (It seems to be a botamochi).
Moniwa Lake - Naka Moniwa 中茂庭

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12月1日
On December 1 is the day of Kappare カッパレ（川入り） going into the water.
Once upon a time a mother was worried about her son who went to the beach swimming every day. She worried he might be eaten by Kappako かっぱっこ（河童）. So she made him many botamochi ぼた餅 rice cakes to feed to the Kappa and spare his life instead.

. botamochi 牡丹餅 "peony rice balls" .
(round glutinous rice balls covered in bean paste)

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Fukushima 福島市飯坂町 Iizaka

12月1日
December 1 is the day of Kappare カッパレ, Kapparia カッパリヤ.
People do not work but go to the river and throw botamochi into the water.
Children who eat botamochi offered to the Buddhist alter on this day will not have a water accident caused by a Kappa in the coming summer.

Once the father of a Kappa was very ill and would only survive if he could eat the raw liver of a child. So the Kappa was trying to capture a child, but when they gave him botamochi instead, he gave those to his ill father - and oh wonder - he was healed.
So even now people eat botamochi on this day and will not be pulled into the water by a kappa.

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双葉郡 Futaba gun 双葉町 Futaba village

. . . as of March 2011
the entire population was evacuated as a result of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Since 2013, only 4% of the town has been open to visitors.

One day in summer a long time ago
when a farmer was cutting weeds, a Kappa grabbed the tail of the horse. The horse was surprized and run away. When the farmer found the horse, the Kappa was still hanging on to it but near death. So the good farmer let the Kappa escape into the river.
To show his gratitude, the Kappa taught him how to make a good medicine for broken bones and wounds 骨接ぎの妙薬.
The medicine uo no me no kusuri 魚の目の薬 - is also good for corns on the sole of feet (lit. "eye of a fish")

双葉郡 Futaba 浪江町 Namie village

. . . as of March 2011
the entire population was evacuated as a result of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, and the town is effectively a ghost town.

Around 1675 延宝年間,
the child of a farmer played with a Kappa at the river near Takasemura 高瀬村の川 and received a cup. But the Kappa told the child never to talk about it, and if he did he would die.
Every day the child could pull out one piece of gold from the cup and now the kid was able to buy a lot of things. But his parents soon got suspicious and thought he was stealing things. They asked the kid and when he finally told the story, he tonshi 頓死 fell dead after telling it all.
The cup is now a treasure at the temple Yakushi-Ji 薬師寺.
The Kappa were quite active in this region, but the large water snake 大蛇 was even more dangerous.

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いわき市 Iwaki Town

One day in summer a long time ago
when a farmer was cutting weeds, a Kappa grabbed the tail of the horse. The horse was surprized and run away. When the farmer found the horse, the Kappa was still hanging on to it but near death. So the good farmer let the Kappa escape into the river. The medicine is still made and sold by the family.
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Before doing a wrestling match 相撲を取る with a Kappa you have to make sure the water is spilled from its plate on the head.
Or eat the Buddhist rice offerings before the bout.

. buppan 仏飯 Buddhist rice offerings - .
and other things a Kappa dislikes and fears　嫌物
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Once two young brothers played at a narrow riverside. They were about to catch a frog when they fell into the river and disappeared. Other kids called the parents and all began to search for them. When they finally found their dead bodies in a deep waterhole, they had burning wounds on their anus and all the innards were taken out.
- This was the deed of a Kappa!

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南会津郡 Minami Aizu

An old grandfather lived in a small hut near the river. One day he heard a voice outside asking for fire. It was the sweet voice of a child. But the grandfather knew what to do.
"Kappa I will give you fire" 河童火をやろう he shouted and at once someone jumped the river.

南会津郡 Minami Aizu 桧枝岐村 Hinoematamura

A Kappa shapeshifted into a broom 箒 made of brushwood and enjoyed himself sweeping. The poeple of this home caught him and made him promise never to come back. The Kappa even had to sign a contract 詫誓文 on this before they let him go.

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石川郡 Ishikawa gun 平田村 Hirata village

There are two stones by the river which have a dent as if two Kappa had been sitting there for a long time. They are called 親河童の石、子河童の石 - stone of Father Kappa and stone of Son Kappa.
Nowadays people try to throw pepples into these dents and if they hit, it will bring good luck to them.

. Kappa ishi 河童石 Kappa stone legends - Introduction .

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大沼郡 Onuma gun 金山町 Kaneyamamachi

At 大栗山の弁天沼 the Benten swamp near Mount Okuriyama there live Kappa.
The Kappa from river 只見川 Tadamigawa like cucumbers.
- -
If you eat cucumbers before going into a river, a Kappa will pull out your anus ゲス（尻）.
This is maybe a story to teach children to keep the stomach warm in summer.

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Kappa ishi 河童石 Kappa stone legends

. かっぱの湯 Kappa no Yu .
At the river Nojirigawa 野尻川 there was a Kappa stone.
At the river pool called Araifuchi 洗い淵 people come to wash the horses. . . .

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白河郡 Shirakawa gun 表郷村 Omotego Mura

At the Genpatsunuma ゲンパツ沼 / 源八沼 Genpatsu swamp (Genpachi swamp) a Kappa used to pull horses into the water.
After a priest had prayed at the swamp, the Kappa did not appear any more.
Another version knows that the priest made the Kappa sign a contract not to harm horses any more.
and
On a rainy night the Kappa would shapeshift into a lady and lure people who walked along there. The Zen priest Genno 源翁禅師 from the temple 常在院 Jozai-In lectured the Kappa about evil deeds and then the Kappa never did anything bad again.

. Gennō Shinshō 源翁心昭 Genno Shinsho .
(1329 - 1400)
源翁禅師 Genno Zenji, 心昭空外 Shinsho Kugai, a monk of the Soto sect of Zen Buddhism who also smashed the "murder stone"and is subject to many legends.
Even Matsuo Basho visited the famous "murder stone" 殺生石.

- -

Once the malicious Kappa from Genpachinuma swamp, who alwayas pulled horses and children into the water, got caught. He had to promise to deliver food trays お膳 when people needed them for celebrations, before the farmers let him go.
This went on for some time, until someone forgot to bring the trays back.
From then on, the Kappa was not seen any more.

A similar legend is know in Aichi:
. Kappa legends from Aichi prefecture 愛知県 .
Zenwanbuchi 膳椀淵 "river pool for trays and bowls".
and more about food trays and bowls for celebrations.

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耶麻郡 Yama gun 高郷村 Takasatomura

４月７日
If people go swimming in the river on April 7, they will be pulled into the waster by a Kappa.

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When children go to the river in Summer, especially July and August they should not eat cucumbers before going into the water, otherwise a Kappa would pull them into the water.

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福島県田村市船引 Tamura Town

. 芸の里かっぱ村』 Kogei no Sato - Kappamura .

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福島県岩瀬郡 Iwase gun 天栄村 Teneimura, Tenei-mura
Kappabuchi 河童淵（天栄村）

Kappa no wabi shomon 河童のわび証文 The pledge of excuse from the Kappa

In the Edo period there lived a Lord named 馬場八郎左工門 Baba Hachirozaemon who liked to play Go　碁, a kind of Japanese chess.
One day he forgot all about the time when playing Go with the priest at temple 女郎寺 and and was on his way to the castle during the evening dusk. Suddenly his beloved horse 愛馬大月 jumped in fear and when he turned around he saw a Kappa trying to grab at the tail of his horse and pull it into the river.
The Lord got quite angry and wanted to kill the Kappa on the spot. But the Kappa pleaded apologetically while shedding tears:
"I have a family and many children to feed. If you kill me now, they will hve all to wander along the roads to survive. Please, do not kill me!"

source and more photos :　fukuzo555jp

So the Lord let him go but he had to promise to protect the local children from water accidents. The Kappa came to sign a contract in stone which was then buried deep in the ground with a heavy boulder on top. Next a sanctuary build atop of it. This was the shrine Akazu Jinja 不開神社あかずじんじゃ "Shrine not to open", now written 赤津神社あかつじんじゃ Akatsu Jinja .
The Kappa here is a deity to protect from water accidents.

Even in our times there is flooding in the area once in a while, but never have there been human accitents or animals killed in the water. People still come here to pray for protection. But now there is just a simple torii gate in the fields.

- reference -

shared by Hayato, Kappapedia facebook

. Go game, Igo 囲碁 - Japanese Chess .

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Kankichi かん吉
Fukushima 福島県を流れる片貝川

. Kappa Mascots from Tohoku .

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- - - - - reference - - - - -

怪異・妖怪伝承データベース
- source : www.nichibun.ac.jp

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by 馬場牧子

another spring -
can the Kappa survive
radioactivity ?

Gabi Greve, March 11, 2015

. The Big Earthquake March 11, 2011, 14:46 .
東北地方太平洋沖地震
magnitude 9:0

Facebook - Tohoku Information

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. Kappa densetsu　河童伝説, Kappa minwa 河童民話 - Legends - Introduction .

. Mingei 民芸　Regional Folk　Art from Japan .

- #kappafukushima #fukushima -
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3/14/2015

Yoda and Kappa

- quote
Yoda is a fictional character in the Star Wars space opera franchise created by George Lucas, first appearing in the 1980 film The Empire Strikes Back. In the original films, he trains Luke Skywalker to fight against the evil Galactic Empire.
In the prequel films, he serves as the Grand Master of the Jedi Order and as a high-ranking general of Clone Troopers in the Clone Wars.
- source : wikipedia

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source :　memegenerator.net

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Historians find Yoda
on a 14th century-old manuscript about medieval monsters
. . . . at The British Library, two historians found an illustration of a creature inside a 14th century manuscript . . .

source :　www.lostateminor.com

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Joda Master Yedi Japan

source :　www.deviantart.com

Kappa Zombie

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Star Wars Daruma スター・ウォーズダルマ　- 2016

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source : pinterest.com/ @Jana Mason

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Darth Daruma

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source : backspac.es bensellmann

Yoda Daruma

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Star Wars - Kokeshi

source : kokeshi gallery facebook

. Kokeshi, こけし / 小芥子 / 子消し wooden doll .

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

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. Kappa densetsu　河童伝説, Kappa minwa 河童民話 - Legends - Introduction .

. Mingei 民芸　Regional Folk　Art from Japan .

- #kappayoda #yoda -
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3/13/2015

Kappa Ishi stones

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- KAPPA - 河童 / かっぱ /　カッパ - Legends -
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- Kappa ishi 河童石 Kappa stone
Kappa iwa かっぱ岩 / 河童岩 Kappa boulder, Kappa rock
Kawadoo ishi 川童石 Kappa stone (river child stone) -

- - - - - There are various Kappa stones in Japan.
Akita
Fukushima
Miyazaki
Nagano
Nagasaki
Yamanashi

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. Akita 秋田県 .

Daisen town 大仙市 (near Yokote)

At the river pool near the bridge of Osanai village 土川心像の生内 there is a 河童石 stone where the Kappa likes to sit, with a dent in the stone.
In summer when the water gets less, the seat is quite visible and then gets forgotten.
Once in August there was a very strong rain and storm and the river pool was well flooded that even the top of the stone was hardly to be seen.
An old man 84 years of age living nearby remembered:
"Yes, it is like they say, the stone will be under water every 60 years."

Anyway, once upon a time
the home of 五郎右工門 Gorozaemon of the village kept horses and cared well for them. They even kept two very vigorous stallions, riding to the river pool morning and evening to wash them. Then one day in summer when they wanted to go back home one went wild with fear and gallopped into the horse barn. When the farmer looked, he saw that a Kappa was hanging onto the tail of the horse. They tried to get hold of the Kappa and catch him. The Kappa jumped into the fodder box and hid there.
But in the end with all the neighbours helping they got hold of the Kappa. His plate on the head had been almost dry and his power was gone.
He made the farmers understand with his best body language that he would not do any harm any more and they should let him go. So they did.
From that day on there had never been a drowning accident of children at this river pool.

- source : namahage.is.akita-u.ac.jp/monogatari

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Kawadoo ishi, Kawado-ishi 川童石 Kappa Stone (river child stone)

能代市 Noshiro town

Kawadoo 川童 Kawado, short for Kawa warawa かわわらわ, also Kawaero カワエロ (in Gifu), a local dialect for the Kappa.

Tanegawa no fuchi 種川の渕 Tanegawa River Pool

Once upon a time
there was a very rich farmer, 甚吉 Jinkichi, near the Tanegawa river who kept 40 horses.
One day after washing the horses at the Tanegawa river pool and trying to get them into the stable, the horses did not want to do what they did every day. When Jinkichi and his men looked closer, he saw a young Kappa crouching in a corner.
"Let's get him!" they shouted.
Then they told him all his misdeeds:
"You took the child of xyz, you killed the daughter of yxz, you also killed the horse of zyx . . . " and the Kappe admitted each one very docile and meek.
"And today you tried to pull a horse into the river, clinging to its tail, did you not?!"
But after all was said and made clear, the Kappa promised never to do any harm again to humans or animals and then they let him to.

The stone where he went back into the river is now called Kawado-ishi.

- source : namahage.is.akita-u.ac.jp/monogatari

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Fukushima 福島県

大沼郡 Onuma Gun 金山町 Kanayamamachi

At the river Nojirigawa 野尻川 there was a Kappa stone.
At the river pool called Araifuchi 洗い淵 people come to wash the horses.
Then some day a Kappa hang on to the tail of a horse.
The farmers made him promise to never come higher than the stone at the side of the bridge and he signed a contract about this. Then he could go.
But eventually this stone was washed away during a flooding.
The contract which was written with the blood from the Kappa biting off his finger had been kept in the Kannon hall 観音様のお堂, but this was also lost.

Nowadays there is a hot spring with a Kappa legend:
金山町　玉梨温泉のかっぱの湯 Kappa no Yu

About 1700 years ago, the villagers had been in distress from the malicious deeds of a Kappa.
A mendicant monk passed the village and tried to help them. He engraved ritual Sanskrit letters on a large stone 大石に梵語 to ward off the Kappa.

At this hot spring hotel, the story has become the origin of it's name
Kappa Hot Spring かっぱの湯.
- source : www5c.biglobe.ne.jp/~angel-hi

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. 親河童の石、子河童の石 stone of Father and Son Kappa..
石川郡 Ishikawa gun 平田村 Hirata village

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Miyazaki 宮崎県

. Kappa Iwa 河童岩 The Kappa Rock .

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Nagano 長野県　　　

東筑摩郡 Higashi Chikuma gun 生坂村 Ikusaka village

Once a Kappa jumped from the かっぱ岩 Kappa boulder to grab a horse the villagers were washing, but he got caught himself.
The Kappa pleaded to let him go free and he would grant them one wish.
So the landlord said: 朱塗りの膳 "Bring me 20 food trays in red laquer, then I will pardon you.!
The next morning, the trays were delivered and the Kappa got free.

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Nagasaki 長崎県　

. Kappa Jizoo かっぱ地蔵 / 河童地蔵 Kappa and Jizo Bosatsu in Nagasaki .

Nagasaki Suijin-Sha 水神社 Shrine of the Water Deity
Suijin Jinja 水神神社
One of the five great shrines in Nagasaki.
本河内水源池 - at 長崎市本河内町

. - suijin 水神 water deity -
God of Water, Mizu no Kamisama 水の神様 .

donku ishi どんく石 Kappa Stone

The Kappa stone for the deity Kawatachi Kami 川立神（かわたちかみ）

Once upon a time
people depended on rain water in their daily life. During a drought, plants and animals withered and humans had to perform rain rituals (amagoi) to get help.
In the Suijin shrine in our village the Shinto priest planted a stone and used the color of the moss to divine when the rain would come 苔の色で降雨.

The river 中島川 Nakashimagawa, which is a long river in Nagasaki prefecture, was a very clean river with clear drinkable water and people relied on it for all things at home and in the fields..
Then more homes where build, more people came to live here and the water became dirty. Even the Kappa, which lived upstream, could not live in the filthy water any more.
So they sometimes stormed into the human habitats and devastated the crops and things.

Since olden times the shrine had pleaded with the authorities to take care and keep the water clean. Every year on an auspicious day in May the priest invited the Kappa, gave them food and drink and entertained them like special guests - this is a special event even now 珍しい行事.
The priests caring for the temple have all been from the 渋江家 Shibue family since generations.
Some say they descend from the line of King 栗隈王 / 栗前王（くりくまのおおきみ) Kurikuma no Okimi (? - 676) .

The inner sanctuary of the shrine was cut off with sacred ropes and only the Kappa were allowed to come in there and enjoy themselves with food and drink. Some say the Shinto priests were able to see the Kappa having their feast.
The Kappa shouted with joy - kii kii - and the sound of the plates on their head was to be heard outside.
During this feast, they had to prepare a dish with bamboo shoots at any cost, with bamboo picked by the priest and only the most soft and juicy pieces offered to the kappa.
The old dry parts of the bamboo were cut into rings 竹の子の輪切り and offered to look at.

One priest had once heard the Kappa complain:
"Oh dear, these humans must have strong and hard teeth to chew the hard parts of bamboo!"

But anyway, the Kappa have since then stopped to do malicious deeds in the village.
And every time on the night before there are special visitors to the shrine or during a shrine festival, the priests places a letter on the Kappa stone, asking the Kappa to bring food 河童の献立:
"Dear Kappa san, tomorrow is a special day and we need to prepare a feast.
Please bring this and that vegetable and fish, please!"
And indeed,
next morning the food was presented on the stone - the Kappa had done well.

- reference -

. A story from Nagasaki, Nakashimagawa river
長崎市桜馬場町の中島川 and Maruyama Koen Park 丸川公園 .

. Nakashimagawa Matsuri 中島川まつり Nakashimagawa Festival 　 .
- beginning of May

. Nagasaki - Kappa stories of this BLOG .

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Yamanashi　山梨県

韮崎市 Nirasaki shi 藤井町 Fujiicho

A Kappa came every night to the outhouse of a farmhouse and reached out (for the shirikodama anus treasure). So the farmer one night cut off the hand.
The Kappa came back and got his hand back in exchange for medicine to heal wounds.
There is a Kappa stone related to this story.

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

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. Kappa densetsu　河童伝説, Kappa minwa 河童民話 - Legends - Introduction .

. Mingei 民芸　Regional Folk　Art from Japan .

- #kappaishi #kappastone #kappaiwa -
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3/12/2015

Akita prefecture

Akita Prefecture (秋田県 Akita-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tohoku - Tōhoku region of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan.
The capital is the city of Akita.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

Kawaguma 河熊 "river bear" is a water monster of Akita.
Some legends are about the water yokai 水の伝説.

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Kappa ishi 河童石 The Kappa Rock
大仙市 Daisen Town

Kawadoo ishi 川童石 Kappa Stone (river child stone)
能代市 Noshiro town

. Kappa ishi 河童石 Kappa stone legends .

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. Jizo no Fuchi no Kappa 地蔵の渕の河童　The Kappa from Jizonofuchi River Pool .
東由利町 Higashiyurimachi (part of 由利本荘市)
Kappa delivering two salmon in Autumn

東由利町 Sugooda 須合田
Kappa no kureta katana カッパのくれた刀
須合（郷）田には石沢川の大巻淵に住む河童からもらった河童丸という宝剣がある。
At the river Sekizawagawa in the village Sugoda there was a riverside pool 大巻淵 where a Kappa lived. He gave a precious sword 宝剣 to the villger. It was the sword
Kappamaru, Kappa Maru 河童丸.

(A longer version talks k about river Takasegawa 高瀬川. Kappa had tried to pull the horse of Old Man Kurobei 長者九郎平) into the river, but was caught instead and dragged to the house of Kurobei. The Kappa pleaded for his life and gave the sword with the promise to be good from now on.

It is in the posession of 小松卯一郎 now, the grandchild of the original owner. It is only shown once a year on the 11th day of January.

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Kawaguma no Ozutsu 河熊の御筒 The Gun of the Kawaguma monster
river Omonogawa 雄物川
秋田県仙郡北協和村上淀川　- 　蓮西寺

- quote -
The Lord and falcon hunters were hunting on the river near temple 神宮寺 Jingu-Ji.

- source : shotakotake.deviantart.com

Suddenly a huge black hairy arm appeared from the surface and robbed the lord's gun 鉄砲の筒.
His retainers and the boatsmen searched the river but could not find it.
Later the skilfull swimmer 六兵衛 Rokubei from the village 萩台村 Hagidaimura found it near the deep waters of temple 洪福寺 Kofuju-Ji and went to the 角館の北家 Kita Family in Kakunodate to sell it. The Kita family has been a retainer of Lord Satake 佐竹公 since 1777. They recognized the scratches on the gun as the one's of the river monster Kawaguma.
But soon Rokubei fell into the river and drowned.
Since then, the district was called 河熊郡 Kawaguma Gun.

Another story from 河辺郡の椿川村 Kawabe gun, Tsubakigawa village
Now 川添村 Kawazoemura
Once upon a time
a boat was going down the river 雄物川 Omonogawa. One night the gunwale at the bottom of the boat there were scratches of some hands trying to grab the gunwale. Since there was also black hair left, the boatsmen thought it must have been the river bear monster.

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秋田県山本郡鶴形村谷地年中行事
15日は、山王様のお祭りである。この神様はカッパの神様だという。
Kappa as deity at the Sanno Festival

合川町 Aikawamachi

Kappa was trying to pull a horse into the water by its tail. He got caught and was let go when he promised to share how to make medicine 調薬法.

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秋田市河辺 Akita city

神内川の河童

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大仙市 Daisen city
Now including seven villages :
大曲市と神岡町、西仙北町、中仙町、協和町、南外村、仙北町、太田町の仙北郡

Kappa no Osazuke 河童のおさずけ A good deed from the Kappa
夏頃なんだから
悪さをする河童をみんなは殺そうとすると、河童は「良い事を教えるから助けてくれ」と命乞いをした。肩をはずしても、腕でも足でも直すこつを教えてくれた。

Kazooin Jinguu Mitsuji 花蔵院神宮密寺
この寺は、大同年中(八〇六～八〇九)より観応年中(一三五〇～一三五一)の頃まで、小猿山神宮寺密寺と
この寺は、大同年中より観応年中の頃まで、小猿山神宮寺密寺と申し、その後去河山華蔵院と改めたが、その年号ははっきりしない。仁和寺の末寺で、宝暦年中以前は京都より住職が下向したという。玄応法印快絲法師なども下向された人という。法印は、ある時河童をいけどり、今後この郷はいうに及ばず他郷の者といえども捕らえて食ってはならない、もし人を捕ったと聞けば法刀で斬殺してしまうからと厳しくせめたところ、涙を流して謝ったため川に放した。その後　この近辺で河童に捕らえられることが全くなくなったという。
その後寛延四年、久保田如意山宝鏡院の客末寺となった。

Kirisome no kyuuri きりそめの胡瓜
昔、あったずもな。 - Once upon a time (あったとさ in local dialect)
楢岡の村の赤平に佐助という家があった。子どもが馬を冷やしに行くと河童が居て馬の尻につかまって家まで付いて来た。河童は人間の家に一度行ってみたかったのだそうだ。子どもは驚いて佐助を呼び河童を捕まえた。河童は「許してくれ。胡瓜が切り初めのときに川に流してくれたら、何もしないと約束する」とあやまるので許してやる。それから赤平では、夏の初めに胡瓜を二本もいで河童にあげることにしたので、河童もいたずらをしなくなった。

延命小槌

Kappa no takaramono 河童の宝もの

Kappa no tetsudai 河童の手伝い

川口のほねつぎ

大仙市協和
Kappa no shippai 河童の失敗 Mistake of a Kappa (3 versions)

仙北郡太田村
Kappa no otakara 河童のおたから a treasure from the Kappa
昔、じさとばんばがありました。
お爺さんが、山で寒くて寝ていた河童に火を焚いてやった。すると河童はお礼に「後でこれに入ってみて」と、どこでも自分が見たい町に行けるという袋をくれた。お爺さんは喜んであちこち見物し、その袋を誰にも見られないようしまって仕事に行った。その間に、何も知らないお婆さんがその袋を南蛮味噌の入れ物にしてしまう。袋を洗濯しても、不思議な力は味噌に流されて既に消えてしまっていた。いいものがある時は隠さずに話しておくことだ。
だから、いいものがあるときはかくしておかないで、みんなしゃべっておかないと、じさのようになんもならなくなってしまうってこと、トピンパラリノプ。

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東成瀬村 Higashi Narusemura

Shinnaifuchi Taro 真内渕太郎 -

Kappa no okurimono 河童のおくり物 A present from Kappa

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祇園さま Gionsama, Gion Sama, Gion-Sama - The Gion Deity
Gion Kappa 祇園かっぱ
The messenger of the deity Inari is the fox, but the messenger of the deity Gion sama is the Kappa.
The deity is Susanoo no Mikoto 須佐之男命.
お稲荷さんのお使いが狐、祇園様のお使いが河童だど。
Therefore on the festival for Gionsama children must not play in the river to avoid accidents. Instead they have to throw cucumbers into the river from the bridge.
"バラの花咲けば、水あぶりするにええ、ウグイス鳴けば、干し餅食うにええ"
is an old saying.

Gionsama to kyuuri 祇園様と胡瓜 Gionsama and cucumbers
During the days of the Gion festival people are not allowed to eat cucumbers (a special food for the Kappa).
If they do, they will be pulled into the river by a Kappa.

and from 仙北郡峯吉川村
Gionsama to Kappa 祇園様と河童 Gionsama and the Kappa
On the festival day 六月十五日 people offer cucumbers on the family altar. They can only eat them after making the offering first. If they do not make the proper offering and eat the cucumber, they will be washed away in the river next time they come near it.

. Gion matsuri　祇園祭り Gion Festival in Kyoto .
In mid-July (in the sixth lunar month on the 15th day). Also celebrated as Gionsama, Gion-Sama in other parts of Japan.

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井川町 Igawamachi

河童の恩返し

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角館町 Kakunodate

A Kappa lived at the dike Hyoe-tome 兵衛トメ（堤). The used to shapeshift into a red lacquer bowl and tempted the children.

-
The family of Jinsuke 甚助 once helped a Kappa who had tried to pull a horse into the water and got caught. In gratitude they got a chirirenge チリレンゲ pottery spoon from the Kappa.

Any medicine they mixed with this spoon was extremely powerful and soon his family became very rich. But after a few generations, someone lost the precious medicine spoon. From then on the family fell into poverty.

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北秋田郡 Kita Akita gun
溺死するという意味の忌言葉を「カッパニトラレル」という。
-
When little girls play in the river, they sometimes pee into it. If they do it, they have to call out KAPPA 「カッパ」 to the grown-ups on the river bank. And the grown-ups have to reply: doohe 「ドーヘ」, so the girl would not be snatched by a Kappa.
Then the girl had to recite the following verse before doing her little job.
「カッパにとられな　ドーヘにとられな　海さえって塩なあれなれ」

北秋田郡上小阿仁村 Kita Akitagun - Kami Oanimura
カッパは人間を川の深いところに連れて行って肛門を破り、舌を抜き、内臓を食べてしまう。
-
5～6歳の子どもがよくカッパに取られてはらわたを食われたので、魚とりのヤスでカッパを捕まえた。もう子どもを取らないと約束するので許してやった。以来、子どもが溺れることはなくなった。
-
カッパが馬の尻尾に絡み付いて捕まり、よい薬を教える約束で許してもらった。河童の薬はとてもよく効く。
-
川で遊んでいるとカッパが尻の穴から手を入れて人間のはらわたを捕って殺してしまうという。
-
カッパは人間を川の深いところに引き込んで、はらわたを食う。小阿仁川にもいる。

Kappa no yakusoku 河童の約束

nadegusuri 根田薬 medicine
「あのせ、お前達も聞いたことあるべ、根田薬のこと教えるでゃ。あの薬はな、カッパが根田（合川町根田）の太平に授けてくれた薬であったど。
太平の家の若勢が、川で馬を洗っていると、河童が流れてきたので、捕まえた。子供に悪さをするので、殺そうとすると、疝気や冷えに効く薬の作り方を教えるから助けてくれと言う。薬の作り方を聞くと、河童を放してやった。この薬は大した効く薬で、太平の家は大繁盛した。
かっぱの川流れで、太平には宝物が授かったわけだとな。

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美郷町 Misato cho

河童駒引伝説

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三種町 Mitanecho

はだか半三郎 Hadaka Hanzaburo
失敗する話
幸福になる話, 失敗する話

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能代市 Noshiro town

kyuuri uenu ie 胡瓜植えぬ家
キュウリの植えられない家だども、そのいわれだば、俺なんも聞いたことねどもしゃぁ - -
胡瓜の植えられない家はどういう意味でそうなったのか。植えれば水難の相があるので植えるな、河童に取られると言われている。胡瓜は貰って喰ってもいいし、買って喰ってもいいが家の人が食べる前に河童に上げてからでなければいけない。「お前の家で馬を川に入れに行ったら、馬のしっぽに河童が捕まってきて河童を助けてやった」という話をちょっと聞いた。迷信なのかどうか、植えるなと言えば植えないで守ったものだろう。
んだために、人の信心だっけ、止めたってどうするんだげ。

能代市二ツ井町 Futatsu-I machi

Kappa no e 河童の絵 the painting of Kappa
One farmer in 種村 Tanemura village had a beautiful lively horse.
One day in summer he washed the horse in the river in a deep pool and then went home. He put the horse in the stable as usual but a short time later the horse begun to behave quite wild. When the farmer looked, he saw a Kappa in the corner.
An elder of the village said: "This kappa lives in the deep pool of the river and grabbed the tail of your horse!"
So the farmer had a painting made of the Kappa grabbing the tail of his horse.

This painting is still there in the shrine Kumano Jinja 熊野神社 - or so they say.

Kumano Jinja 熊野神社 and
種番楽（たねばんがく）
- Legend
常陸国へ国替えになった秋田氏に随従した、小沼城主在村中に村民一同で奉納したと言われている。また、地元の殿様が病気の娘の全快を祈願して神社に奉納したところ、娘の病気が全快したため、その後、安全と豊作を祈願して踊り継がれている。
- source : www.city.noshiro.akita.jp

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男鹿市 Oga town

箱井のオイ沢や中間口にはよくいたという。
河童は箱井のオイ沢や中間口にはよくいたという。中間口の河童から手紙を託された、草刈をしていたら出てきた、馬の尾を引っ張られたなどの話がある。寂しい村はずれに出る事が多く、馬の尻から手を入れて内臓を素早く喰ったり、人の尻のキク（肛門）を取るという。高屋では、河童は赤い前掛けをつけているとも伝承されている。
高屋では河童は赤い前掛けをつけているという伝承もある

Donchi no Shigejiro とんちのしげじろう
Binbogami to akahata 貧乏神と赤い旗 binbogami and the red flag
魚のとれぬ日がつづけば、猟師たちはおかに上った河童と同じだ。
しげじろうは高利貸の旦那を貧乏神呼ばわりし、それを聞いた旦那が怒ると、「貧乏人の神様だから貧乏神だ」と言った。ある日しげじろうは旦那に、魚が沢山いたから舟を出すと嘘を付いて、大金と大網を借りた。しげじろうはその金を若い衆と山分けし、酒を飲んだ。翌朝しげじろう達の舟が大漁を意味する赤旗を沢山たてて戻ってきた。しかし網の中は石ばかりだった。しげじろうは若い衆と一晩かかって石を詰め大漁に見せかけたのだ。
とんでもない赤旗のおかげで、旦那はすっかり損をしてしまった。
addition
とんちのしげじろうは、えさしのしげじろうともよばれ、このしげじろうの話しなら男鹿の古い漁師は今でもおぼえています。ここに紹介したのは、四十歳以上の漁師と、今はもう漁にでない老人から聞いた話しの一部分です。しげじろうとんちばなしは、その生いたちの頃から集めると、大変な数になるといわれています。

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Oodate 大館市 Odate town

大館市十二所 Odate, Junisho
十二所地区の神社に残るいい伝え

十二所町の十二天様には、一二の星をちりばめた黄金仏があった。
十二所の十二天様には十二の星をちりばめた黄金仏があった。むかし米代川へ馬を洗いに行き、河童左衛門が潜って手に入れたものだという。浦山の鬼神様は青森の鬼沢から来たのでこの名があるという。軽井沢の舟板神社はむかし米代川に流れてきた板を拾い上げると火の神・水の神と書いてあったので祀ると霊験あらたかだったという。猿間の丹内様は餅食い競走で餅にあてられて死んだ丹内という若者を神に祀ったのだ。
その後、競走した若者たちに悪いことが起るので、皆が相寄って神に祭ったのが丹内様であるという。

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Senboku shi 仙北市 Senboku town
including 仙北郡の角館町、田沢湖町、西木村

貧乏人の嫁取り仙北市

河童のチリレンゲ仙北市角館町 Kakunodate town

河童の話 - 仙北市

貧乏人の嫁取り仙北市

Yotekozawa ヨテコ沢伝説仙北市

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山本郡二ツ井町 Yamamoto gun - Futatsu-I machi

昔、水枯れの年に、カッパが畑にあがってキュウリを食べていた。それ以来、一番初めのキュウリ2本を、1本しか生らなかったときは縦に2つに割って、「川の神様、さまあず上げる」と言って、川に流すようになった。
- - - カワヘビ kawahebi
溺死者を「カワヘビにやられた」「カッパにとられた」という。尻に穴があいていれば、そこからカワヘビが腹に入ったのだという。

山本郡藤里町 Yamamoto gun - Fujisato machi
河童が川から厩へついて来て馬の尻から手を入れてはらわたを食べていた。

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横手市 / よこて市　Yokote

胡瓜の種は河童を除ける。

Yomekobuchi 嫁コ淵

百曲りの河童横手市

Kappabuchi no soodoo 河童渕の争動 Fighting at the Kapapbuchi river pool
Now at Asahikawa (former Yokotekawa)
今の旭川（横手川）は、水も浅くせせらぎとなっている部分が多いが、昔は相当に水も多く流れ従って百石積みの大船が角間川（旭川の雄物川合流地点）との間を上下していました。
旭川（横手川）は昔、水も多く百石積みの大船が角間川との間を上下していた。当時大渕には雄河童、小淵には雌河童が生活して安楽に日々を送っていた。或る時上流の鐘渕に棲んでいる大蛇が蛇の埼渕に目を付け、併せて雌河童共も自分のものにしようと隙をうかがい、大洪水の時襲撃を開始した。雄河童は、最愛の女房連を取られてたまるかと、決死的な大争闘が続けられたが、数年間の持久戦となった。雌河童は渕の掘り出しに従事し、雄河童は防御陣を築き夫婦協力して戦った。
その内大蛇は砂利掘の渕として其の後は、今日迄安楽に大渕に楽しく同棲を続けています。

橫手市大森町, Yokote, Omoricho

Kappabuchi no hanashi 河童渕の話

横手市黒川 Yokote, Kurokawa
Daidogawa 大戸川の河童 The Kappa from river Daidogawa
黒川地内の西側を曲がりくねって流れる大戸川は、百曲川とも濁川ともいわれています。
大戸川は、百曲川とも濁川とも言われ、百カ所の曲がり角があって流れ、その角々が渕になって、渕々に河童が一疋ずつ棲んでいると言われている。これ等の河童が互いに相手の安否を気づかって絶えず、相手を訪ねて歩いている。百疋おるのにどうしても９９疋しか居ない。川が濁るまで、互いに仲間の一疋をたずねてま毎日々繰り返している。河童は自分を数えることを忘れていて、それで大戸川の水は今でも年中濁っている。
九十九曲りの河童は殺された河童を尋ねて歩き、そのため川水が濁るようになり、濁川ともいうようになった。

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由利郡　矢島町 Yuri gun - Yashima machi
殺されるところを、毎朝鱒をとどけるという約束をして許された。あるとき下女が、戸の前に柱に鎌をかけたままにしていたら、それから鱒は届けられなくなった。

由利郡　笹子村 Yuri gun - Sasagomura
ガメという体に縞のある亀がいて、小童に化けて人を水中に引き込む。ガメが小童に化けた時は、その足音がクシャクシャと音を立てるので、注意すればわかる。

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Yurihoojoo 由利本荘市 Yurihojo town

カツパのくれた刀 Yurihoojoo 由利本荘市 Yurihojo town

Kappa Hiyaroo 河童火やろう "Kappa I will give you fire"
父と母と稼ぎ行ったあとさ、子供一人おいて、｢誰が来たてその戸を明けなど。聞いてやらね、あれこれ聞いたって聞ぐなど｣言って行ったふうどもなぁ。
昔、
父母の留守に河童が火を貰いに来た。留守番の子供は誰が来ても戸を開けるなと言われていたので、追い返した。河童に火を持っていったけれど「いらない」と言われた。
「河童さん河童さん火ぃやろ」ってば「いーいーいー」「河童さん河童さん火ぃやろ」ってば「いーいーいー」
- - -

山案子が河童になった話

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Fukudamura 福田村の悪食喜平

oomukade 大ムカデ huge centipede
藤原喜平 Fujiwara Kihei was also called 悪食喜平 Akujiki Kihei because he liked to eat centipedes and snakes. He just ate anything he caught with his fishing net near 岩谷 Iwatani. Therefore he was called
akujiki 悪食 "Eater of bad things".
When he was young, he had killed a huge centipede in his field and eaten it. It did not matter to him, he always had a drink of 蕎麦酒 Buckwheat liquor to digest it.
But then one day, his mother did not let him have a drink and he died.

蕎麦の酒 - Suehiro Sake Co. - Fukushima

. soba 蕎麦 Legends about buckwheat .

Another legend about Akujiki Kihei
元北面の武士であった藤原喜平は、むかでや蛇の類を食べるので悪食喜平と呼ばれた。喜平には十六歳になる娘がいたが、ある盆にいなくなってしまった。喜平は河童の仕業と思い問い詰めるが、どの河童も樽淵の根木になっている大蛇だと言う。喜平は樽淵に飛び込み底の御殿の中で機を織っている娘を探しあてた。しかし娘は「帰ることが出来ない」と姿を消してしまった。娘をあきらめた喜平は、かたきを討とうと根木に鎌で切り込み、暴れる大蛇を真二つにして焼いて食べた。その後喜平は、福田の茶屋場で殿様が見つけた大百足を食べて、命をおとしてしまった。数十年たったある日、是山和尚の前に、悪食喜平と名のる大男が現れ、生前の殺生を悔やんでいる事を伝えた。和尚は、多くの高僧達とねんごろに供養した。
- reference : namahage.is.akita-u.ac.jp/monogatari -

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由利本荘市東由利

Bentenjima no Kappa べんてん島のカッパ
むかし、むかし、何百年も前のお話です。
何百年も前の話、横小路と新町の貯水池の向こう岸に、林におおわれた小さな島がある。美しい女性が住んでいて村人がため息をつきながら、振り返るほどの美しさだった。そのうち、昼は美しい女性に化け、夜はカッパになって人や馬にいたずらする、という噂が伝わった。しかし村の人は情け深く見逃してつつみのそばを通り過ぎた。そのうち女性を見かけることも、カッパのいたずらもなくなり、村の人は女性は神様になったのだ、と島にべんてん様のお堂を建て祀った。それからは、どんな日照りでもつつみの水が枯れることはなくなった。
春から夏にかけ、蛙が住みつき、夕暮れの空にこだまさせ、みごとな大合唱でにぎやかです。

由利本荘市鳥海町
Oroka Usuke 馬鹿うすけ（おろか聟）The Stupid Man Usuke
昔な、百合郡に“馬鹿うすけ”一人者で居だな。
馬鹿うすけという男がいた。嫁ももらえないので心配した村人が知恵を出し、川に米の白水を流し、金持ちのように装って長者の娘を嫁にもらってやる。夜に祝言をし、一夜明けるとうすけと汚い家だけで、食べるものもないので、嫁がうすけに米を買って来てくれと五十銭やる。うすけは騙されて途中でタゴ馬を買わされ戻る。嫁はまた五十銭やるが、その都度だまされイタチ、鳶を買う。最後に河童を捕らえ河童の小槌をもらう。小槌を振って家や米を出し、うすけ長者となる。ところが酔って小槌を失い、また元の馬鹿うすけになってしまう。
- addition - 話者は佐藤タミ。明治35年5月23日、由利郡鳥海村（旧川内村）上平根に生まれる。明治39年9月に両親と共に満州（現在の中国東北部）の長春で生活する。大正4年7月に日本へ帰国し、鳥海村へ帰る。この頃から祖母ののぶの（安政5年鳥海山小川生まれ）からから昔話を聞くようになった。大正8年頃から失明し、大正13年に婿養子を迎え2人の子どもに恵まれる。昭和55年2月6日、78歳で逝去。
本書は1976年７月、８月、12月、77年８月に聞いた話を文字化したもの。

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湯沢市 Yuzawa 雄勝町
子どもが深い川で泳ぐと、河童に呼ばれて溺れるという。
-
河童は女に化けて人間のはらわたをとって食う。川で泳ぐ子どもへの戒め。

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Oka ni agatta Kappa おかに上がった河童 Kappa who went up a hill

Mengobuchi メンゴ淵の河童
Minekonuma みねこ沼と飛脚

河童伝授薬 - medicine
河童の伝えた薬 - medicine

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Kappa no myooyaku 河童の妙薬 - Myoyaku special medicine
河童の妙薬の伝説に多くみられるあらすじは、河童が人間や馬に悪戯をし、その人間、もしくは馬の持ち主に懲らしめられ、詫びの印として薬を渡すというものである。河童が悪戯を懲らしめられる際に手を切り落とされ、後にその手を返してもらいに現れ、手を繋ぐ良い薬があるといって、手を返してもらう代わりにその薬を渡したり、調薬の方法を教えたりすることもある。
薬の種類には、骨接ぎ、打ち身、熱傷に効く薬などがある。河童は相撲が好きで、怪我が多いためにこうした薬を持っていると考えられ、水の妖怪である河童が金属を嫌う性質から、刃物による切創に効果が高いなどともいわれる。

MORE
source : wikipedie

. Kappa no kusuri カッパの薬 / 河童の薬 Kappa and medicine .

絵本伊那谷ものがたり河童の妙薬
小沢さとし/橋爪まんぷ

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- - - - - reference - - - - -

- source : namahage.is.akita-u.ac.jp -

Gataro ガタロ Kappa
If people went swimming in the river during the 祇園さん（天王さん Gion Festival, the Gataro would pull them in the water, so swimming was not allowed during that time.
The Shrine crest of the Gion shrine was a cucumber cut in slices, a favorite food of the Kappa. So during that festival people were not allowed to eat cucumbers.

祇園さんの神紋 Gion Shrine Crest

. kamon 家紋 family crests .

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

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. Kappa densetsu　河童伝説, Kappa minwa 河童民話 - Legends - Introduction .

. Mingei 民芸　Regional Folk　Art from Japan .

- #kappaakita #akita -
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