Otaku USA Magazine
Beware the Kappa!
by Matt Schley May 28, 2013

Lesson one: fart.
Yes, when encountering a kappa – a monster, or yokai, out of Japanese folklore – a little flatulence just might save you from a terrible fate.

That’s according to Matt Alt, a man who knows a lot about kappa and other Japanese spooks, having co-written several books about Japanese monsters (not to mention ninja and robots). Alt recently gave a talk at a special event organized by PechaKucha, a Tokyo-based presentation group, where he laid down the law on the kappa, one of Japan’s most infamous creatures.

Kappa are bipedal, look like turtles, and are “extremely dangerous customers,” said Alt. Looking vaguely like ninja turtles, they’re known to challenge random passers-by to sumo wrestling. More to the point, they also pull poor souls underwater, drown them, and steal a precious (and mysterious) organ from inside your body called the “shirokodama.” Don’t think of sucker like a spleen or second kidney – you definitely need it to survive, says Alt.

If you encounter a kappa, though, things aren’t hopeless. Alt laid out a few methods to ward off kappa. Number one? Bow. “This is Japan,” he said, “and kappa are very polite creatures.” If that doesn’t work, give them a cucumber – they’re fans.

Last but not least – fart. No joke.

As a kind public service, PechaKucha has put the entire presentation online, so a larger audience can learn how to deal with these nefarious beasts.

This story originally ran in the 5/28/13 issue of the Otaku USA e-News
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Matt Schley

Matt Schley (rhymes with "guy") lives in Tokyo, and has been OUSA's "man in Japan" since 2012. He's also written about anime and Japanese film for the Japan Times, Screen Daily and more.

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