Monsters · Japan
Kappa
A river yokai with a water-filled dish on its head.
Legend File
Kappa live where rivers become risky. They are mischievous, sometimes lethal, and strangely polite: bowing can make them spill the water that gives them strength. Folklore turns the Kappa into both warning sign and puzzle creature, teaching children to fear water while also suggesting that manners can defeat monsters.
Source Framing
Japanese folklore around kappa river yokai: child-sized water beings with a head dish, turtle-like shell, cucumbers, and bowing/promise motifs.
