Hanzaki: Salamander from HELL

Some four hundred years ago at a spot in the Asahi river called Ryuto-ga-fuchi ("Dragon's Head Abyss") lived a giant hanzaki that measured nearly 11 meters in length, with a body some 5.5 meters around. 

All in the village avoided Ryuto-ga-fuchi, for when disturbed the giant hanzaki would flail its tail wildly and swallow the offender, whether man or beast. One day, a young man by the name of Hikoshiro Mitsui decided to defeat the creature, diving into the abyss with a tanto blade gripped between his teeth. Before long, the surface of the river roiled with blood, followed shortly thereafter by the hanzaki. The creature's belly rent from chin to bowels as a victorious Mitsui carved his way out of its stomach. 

But his triumph was short-lived, for thereafter Mitsui's home was beset night after night by howls and pounding; before long, the entire family had died. Seeing what had been wrought, the villagers erected Hanzaki Daimyojin, a shrine to the enormous salamander-god, on the spot; and to this day, every year on the Eighth of August, a celebration is held to venerate and placate its powerful spirit.

- Local legend, Yubara Onsen, Okayama Prefecture

(Translated from the Hanzaki Center website)

Hands down best part of last weekend's Hanzaki Matsuri festival: a "haunted house" built and run by the village. Unlike, say, Disney's Haunted Mansion, super-low budgets necessitated the (really rather awesome) expedient of hiring local high school kids dressed like yokai to jump out at visitors from between the usual styrofoam tombstones and monster mannequins. Sorry I don't have many photos. I was hiding behind Hiroko most of the time.

Hey, there's ol' Hikoshiro Mitsui now!

In Yubara Onsen, the hanzaki is just another yokai. Note the kappa and the... Wait. is that a snake-necked Rokuro-kubi? RUN! RUN!!

 

Comments

[Roger]

I like the idea of a legend that fosters salamander conservation.

[Aceface]

That Hikoshiro Mitsui doll looks just like Saigo Takamori statue in Ueno Park minus a dog plus a giant salamander!