ABSTRACT
A well-known supernatural water creature of Japanese folklore, the kappa has become a popular character in literature, film, manga, anime, commercial iconography,
and other forms of popular culture in Japan. Historically, the kappa was known by a number of regional variant names, such as kawatarō, mizuchi, suiko, enkō, and garappa. While these names still have meaning in local legend and belief systems, and description and characteristics vary from region to region, a somewhat generic version of the kappa has become the most commonly articulated image in literature, film, and popular culture.
