A 19th Century Apparition makes a 21st Century Comeback
Japanese folklore is filled with tales of yōkai, or supernatural beings. Many are shapeshifters, others appear as tools or natural objects like stones, trees, animals or people, while others are completely indescribable. If you’ve seen any films by Miyazaki Hayao of Studio Ghibli, you’ve no doubt met yōkai in one form or another.
Some yōkai are kind, some are mischievous, and some are downright nasty.
Amiable Amabie (pronounced ah-mä-bee-eh)
Villagers who lived along the coast of Kumamoto Prefecture in the mid-1800s were intrigued by a light that appeared offshore. As the nights passed and the light continued to glow in the distance, the village leader took it upon himself to investigate. He went down to the shore and waited. The light drew near.
Out from the sea emerged a head covered with long hair, with fish-like eyes and a small beak. Next, its scaly body appeared and, as it stepped up on the shore, three fin-like legs.
Instead of running away in fright, the village leader listened. Amabie introduced herself, and she explained that she had come from the open sea with a message.
“For six years your countries shall reap bountiful harvests, but during those years a plague will spread. Show a picture of my image to the sick when first they fall ill.”
With those words, she returned to the sea.
As the years passed, Amabie was all but forgotten. Her story turning to distant legend.
Amabie, Covid Guardian
In 2020, Amabie stepped out of the shadows when fans on Twitter dubbed her the new countermeasure against the coronavirus.
Since that first tweet, Amabie’s fame has only grown. She’s become the poster child of the government’s anti-corona measures. Her image has been disseminated by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, as well as by local governments.
Amabie amulets for good health are sold at shrines — and even on amazon!
With 30% of the population over 65, among whom 79,000 are centenarians, could Amabie be Japan’s secret to its low Covid mortality numbers?
Sources:
https://www.stat.go.jp/data/topics/topi1261.html
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/02/living-to-one-hundred-life-expectancy/
https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASN4B463JN48OIPE028.html
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