Kappa

◆ The legend

The most famous water yokai in Japan. About the size of a child, with green skin, a shell on its back, a beak-like mouth, and a dish of water sitting on top of its head. Kappa are said to live in rivers and ponds and to try to drag passing people and horses into the water. They love sumo, too, and will challenge anyone they meet to a match.

Their strength comes from the water in that dish. If it spills, their power drains away at once. So, the old advice goes, if you meet a kappa, start with a deep bow. A kappa is far too polite not to bow back — and out spills the water. Stories are also told in many places of a kappa caught making mischief who, in thanks for being let go, taught people how to make a healing salve.