Revision as of 20:19, 14 May 2008 by Niko (talk | contribs) (New page: thumb|155px|right|Namazu by Fabien Matter. In Japanese mythology, '''Namazu''' (鯰) is a giant catfish who causes earthquakes. ==Myth== Namazu lives in the mud ben...)
In Japanese mythology, Namazu (鯰) is a giant catfish who causes earthquakes.
Myth
Namazu lives in the mud beneath the earth, and is guarded by the god Kashima who restrains the fish with a stone. When Kashima lets his guard fall, Namazu thrashes about, causing violent earthquakes.
History/Beliefs
Following an earthquake near Edo (modern day Tokyo) in 1855, the Namazu became worshiped as a yonaoshi daimyojin (god of world rectification). He appeared in a series of unsigned prints, showing him forcing the wealthy to excrete coins for the poor, and atoning for his actions against the peasants.