Kids Web Japan

Kappa of the South

The kijimuna is the kappa of Okinawa, in the southern part of Japan. It's red all over and has kinky red hair.

Habitat: Banyan trees.

Favorite food: Fish. Wants to become friends with people and invites them to go fishing at night. Loves fish eyes but does not eat the meat, preferring to give it to people.
Hates: Octopus, breaking wind

A sighting of the kijimuna

Several decades ago, it was said that people in Okinawa often saw flying fireballs, which they called "kijimuna fires." It is not known whether the kijimuna turned into fireballs or were letting off fireballs for fun.

Folklore

There is a tale of a kijimuna helping people to build a house. It chopped down trees with people in the mountains and helped to assemble the wood to build the house. In northern Okinawa, a house built with the help of a kijimuna still stands today.