The Namazu is a giant catfish from Japanese mythology that causes earthquakes when the kami Kashima, who restrained him in the mud under Japan with stone, lets his guard down.
History[]
The Namazu was worshiped as a god after an earthquake in Edo. A Namazu-e is a subtype of Umizo-e. Since catfish can predict earthquakes, some believe this behavior inspired the creation of this myth.
Modern uses[]
The Namazu is now used as a symbol for earthquake-related events, operations, and more. The Pokémon Whishcash is a reference to the Namazu (more notable in Japan, where its name is Namazun). An episode of Pokémon featuring a Namazu was banned in Japan due to an earthquake that happened shortly before the episode was released.
The Namazu, alongside the yokai Dorotabo, also serve as the inspiration for the Monster Hunter creature Almudron, a serpentine creature with catfish-like whiskers whose tail can turn the ground into mud.