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Kosho

Koseu or Kosho is one of the 63 creepy germs written in Harikikigaki, a book of medical knowledge written by an unknown resident in Osaka.

Koseu is a strange snake-like animal that beholds a scruffy white beard and a hat that protects it from healing medicine.

In addition, it can speak and likes to drink sake.

 In the Harikigaki[]

Japan’s Kyushu National Museum holds a copy of the Harikikigaki — a 16th century medical text of unknown authorship which claimed that diseases were caused by tiny bugs that crawled into the body. The Harikikigaki advises using acupuncture and herbs to deal with the bugs.

The Belief[]

Until the late 19th century, Japanese people believed illness was spread by evil kami called yakubyogami. At first these gods were thought to take human form, but later, influenced by thinking in texts from China, some people came to think of them as little creatures as small enough to enter the body. The Harikikigaki, written in 1568, is mostly about acupuncture, however, this rare text includes 63 color depictions of the various mushi (germs) believed to cause diseases.

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