Japan: Woodblock print depicting the god Kashima watching as the kaname-ishi rock, portrayed as a person, stands on the head of a giant catfish while a crowd of people try to subdue it, c. 1855

Japan: Woodblock print depicting the god Kashima watching as the kaname-ishi rock, portrayed as a person, stands on the head of a giant catfish while a crowd of people try to subdue it, c. 1855. The Namazu, also called the Onamazu, is a creature in Japanese mythology and folktales, a gigantic catfish said to cause earthquakes and tremors. Living in the mud under the Japanese isles, the Namazu is guarded by the protector god Kashima, who restrains the catfish using the kaname-ishi rock. Whenever Kashima lets his guard down, Namazu thrashes about and causes violent earthquakes.

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