Nestled near Tokyo's famed Kappabashi district, Sōgenji Temple—affectionately known as Kappa-Dera—is inextricably tied to the mischievous aquatic yōkai of Japanese folklore. Legend says helpful kappa assisted a 19th-century merchant in digging a local flood canal, earning them a permanent place of honor at the temple where the merchant is buried. Today, devotees and curious travelers leave fresh cucumbers at the altars to appease the creatures. Within its sacred halls, visitors can explore historic kappa scrolls and even catch a glimpse of an eerie mummified kappa arm.
- Cryptozoology
- Folklore
- Oddities
- Temples & Shrines
- Yokai
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