Storms at sea

Nice to meet you, I'm Kamiyo, an occult and subculture writer living in Fukui Prefecture. I usually host a roundtable event called "Hokuriku Occult Society" to spread the occult culture in the region. I've had the opportunity to write an article for the Yokai Channel.

Now, Hokuriku, where we live, is located near the boundary between the Tsushima Current and the Liman Current on the Japan Sea side, the so-called "tidal boundary." At the tidal boundary, plankton carried by the two ocean currents collides and accumulates, so fish that feed on it can be caught in abundance. This is why the fish in Hokuriku are said to be delicious.

　However, plankton is not the only thing that is carried along by ocean currents.

The image shows a monster that is said to have appeared in Wakasa Bay, Fukui Prefecture, and is called Irigame Nyudo.Osho fishIt is a monster with a human face and a turtle body that appears in the Edo period encyclopedia "Wakan Sansai Zue," and some say that its true identity is a sea turtle that has been misidentified as a monster, or a dolphin that has no beak. However, its appearance is too impactful. Moreover, if you look closely, you can see the sadness in its expression.What's with that dissatisfied look in his eyes?

This monster is said to grin when it spots a human. It is also said that wherever the Osho-fish appears, the sea becomes rough and ships capsize. Its appearance itself is a sign of misfortune. Indeed, being smiled at by a turtle with the face of a man is a more bad omen than a black cat passing in front of you.Overwhelmingly badIt feels like that.

A similar monstersubjectThere is a monster with a human face and the body of a cow, and it is said that it mainly predicts misfortune. It has the head of a human and the body of another animal, and its appearance is a bad omen. If you think about it, there are similarities between the two that cannot be ignored... Could it be that the Osho-fish can also predict misfortune in the sea?

The monk fish uses its appearance to its full potential, appearing in areas where disaster is likely to occur and using its eerie smile to scare people away from danger.Dark hero-likeIs there an explanation for this...? Well, that's a bit far-fetched.

Some animals have predictive abilities that humans cannot imitate, such as catfish that can predict earthquakes, mice that can predict fires, and octopuses that can predict the outcome of soccer games. Your pet may also be quietly predicting some events without you realizing it.

(Image: From Wakan Sansai Zue)