Did you know that catfish cause earthquakes?

About nine months ago I wrote a post about a Japanese folklore character called a “Kappa” which is meant to scare children from playing to close to bodies of water where they may drown.

Signs in Japan warning children to stay away from a river or lake almost always have a picture of a Kappa.

But there is another folklore character that is found in warning signs in Japan today. The 鯰 (catfish).

Long ago in Japan it was said that earthquakes were caused by a giant sleeping catfish who lived under the ground when it woke up and began it thrash around.

 

A 浮世絵 (woodblock print) of a god stopping the catfish from causing an earthquake.

So, in Japan today, even though no one actually believes that earthquakes are caused by catfish, signs for earthquake evacuation shelters, earthquake evacuation routes and earthquake safety usually have a picture of a catfish.

 

A roadsign in Japan for an earthquake emergency road.

 

It says: "It's an earthquake! We support you and your families safety with earthquake evacuation"

Even though no one believes the folklore legend about the giant catfish underground causing earthquakes, many people do believe that catfish act peculiar just before an earthquake strikes…and this is where the folklore story may have originated from.

津波

Two strong 地震 (earthquakes) struck Indonesia today. At least three people are dead.
地震 (earthquakes) are terrible. The strike suddenly with no warning. With most other natural disasters, people are given warning and a chance to evacuate.

In Japan, there is an expression that says the four scariest things are: 地震 (earthquakes), 雷 (Lightning / Thunder), 火事 (fire), and 親父 (father).

There’s a centuries old folklore in Japan that a giant ナマズ (catfish) caused earthquakes. And now, some scientists in Japan say that ナマズ (catfish) can predict earthquakes (scientists around the world say that about many different types of animals).

Because of this, many times in Japan signs for 地震 (earthquake) evacuation routes will have a picture of a ナマズ (catfish).

Anyways, because of the 地震 (earthquake) in Indonesia, the Japanese 気象庁 (Meteorological Agency) has issued a 津波注意報 (Tsunami Advisory) for many parts of Japan (especially on the Pacific coast side (where Tokyo is).

(By the way, did you know that 津波 (tsunami) is a Japanese word? It translates directly to “harbor wave“…but the English equivalent is “tidal wave“.)

Click here to visit the Japanese 気象庁 (Meteorological Agency) website.