And he says the monkey was far more famous than the mer-creature in the 19th century. "The two have so much in common, it's natural to think that Amabiko was Amabie's former self," says Nagano. ![]() The ape-like creature said "70% of the Japanese population will die unless they see a picture of me." Amabiko introduced itself, predicted a rich harvest and an epidemic, then claimed that people would survive and live long, healthy lives if they saw the creature's image. A woodblock printed news sheet from the era said a man went down to the sea to investigate reports of glowing lights. The furry beast went by the name Amabiko and its origin story was strikingly similar. In 1843, three years before Amabie first appeared, there were reports of a three-legged simian in the same province. Nagano Eishun, librarian of the Fukui Prefectural Archives and an expert on ancient spirits, says Amabie is one of more than a dozen prophecy beasts reported during the Edo period, and it probably derives from an ape-like creature with a similar name. It is the only known news sheet to report a sighting of Amabie. "For the next six years, there will be a bountiful harvest across Japan, but there will also be an epidemic." Amabie then told the official, "Quickly draw a picture of me and show it to people," and disappeared back into the sea. When the official arrived, a mermaid-like creature emerged, introduced itself as "Amabie who lives in the sea," and issued two predictions. ![]() As the story goes, a government official went down to the beach to investigate reports of something shining in the water. ![]() Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has enlisted Amabie as part of its campaign against the coronavirus.Īccording to a woodblock-printed news sheet dated April 1846, the creature made its first and only appearance in the sea off Higo Province, now Kumamoto Prefecture, on the southern island of Kyushu. After that, it started appearing on cookies, face masks, candy, bread rolls, the obligatory Starbucks logo pastiche, and even statues in parks. Manga artists rendered the creature in their own styles, sharing images alongside messages wishing for an end to the virus.Īmabie then got official recognition when Japan's health ministry made it the face of its public safety campaign. The mermaid-like creature began appearing on social media in Japan in early March and was soon being tagged in upwards of 30,000 posts a day.
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