Imagine yourself on a sweltering, humid summer day in Japan, strolling beside a serene river. The air is tinged with a faint, fishy aroma, creating an unusual atmosphere. Suddenly, a sharp, beak-like ...

Just as British children have been brought up with scary stories about the Loch Ness Monster, Japanese people know all about the Kappa - a slippery water demon from ancient folklore. The pond and ...

According to Japanese folklore, the Kappa is a monstrous creature that inhabits lakes and rivers. Occasionally, though, the demon will leave its watery lair and challenge humans to single combat. If ...

Gajiro the "kappa" folklore creature rises from a pond to scare visitors in this photo taken around when he started his "work" at Tsujikawayama Park in Fukusaki, Hyogo Prefecture. (Photo courtesy of ...

The design of a past kappa badge is shown in this image provided by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. As Japan's travel industry recovers from the coronavirus pandemic and tourists flood back into ...