With a yellow beak like that I first thought this quirky station constructing in Japan was designed to appear like a duck or perhaps a penguin nevertheless it appears my powers of remark on this event had been broad of the mark.
Because the title of the submit suggests, this constructing really appears to be like like one of many nation’s most well-known legendary folkloric creatures. Such bipedal, turtle-like aquatic goblins are often called Kappa. If you happen to’ve ever been to Kappa Zushi you’ll have seen the creature on their brand and signage. Additionally, one of the vital standard sushi rolls is kappamaki; a cucumber sushi roll which is out there in all sushi locations, and never simply the aforementioned conveyor-belt sushi chain.
After a fast journey as much as Usa metropolis very early morning on the finish of June final yr, I used to be again in Oita simply after 8:00 am simply in time to take a particular restricted categorical prepare (at a value of simply over 4000 yen) west in the direction of Saga Prefecture however I might be alighting somewhat earlier to spend time at Tanushimaru station, situated on the Kyudai Predominant Line in Kurume metropolis in Fukuoka Prefecture.
Legend has it that kappas first settled in Kumamoto Prefecture however ended up transferring to the Chugoku River which had an abundance of meals and clear water, and lies about three kilometres north of the station.
They’re the image of the realm and, unbeknownst to me on the time, varied statues of them are dotted across the space close by. Had I been conscious on the time I could not have bothered monitoring them down anyway because it was completely hammering it down with rain throughout my 45 minutes at this station.
The station constructing was renovated in 1992 with college students from an area technical highschool designing it within the type of a kappa mendacity down.
The lovable confronted constructing very a lot matches in with Japan’s kawaii tradition, and it additionally doubles up as a vacationer data centre.
Kappa-related native specialities are on show and on the market. The inside itself is a pleasant picket construction and there’s a pun-tastic Kappateria inside so it’s a pleasant place to chill out for these stopping by simply to see the station constructing.
There may be supposedly a second flooring (is sensible once you see the place the eyes/home windows of the creature/constructing are) nevertheless it didn’t look like open after I was there. I’ve since heard that it’s a Kappa Museum exhibiting supplies associated to the folkloric legend.
An data board within the station tells how August eighth is a crucial date. Not solely is it the birthday of yours really however it’s also Tanushimaru Kappa Day. That is one thing to do with the quantity 8 being thought-about fortunate as a result of approach it broadens progressively thus representing the concept of rising affluent.
What I didn’t discover till departing for Saga Prefecture was that there was additionally a sizeable Kappa statue on the platform. I had been too busy wanting throughout on the foremost constructing on arrival that I hadn’t taken in what was behind me.
Together with the stations that appears like a turtle and a goggle-eyed dogū, this was one other one which was nicely definitely worth the detour and time spent there to mainly simply get a photograph! Oh and a weblog submit too!
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