Tsuchinoko

In Japanese folklore, the tsuchinoko (ツチノコ or 槌の子), literally translating to "child of hammer," is a snake-like being. The name tsuchinoko is prevalent in Western Japan, including Kansai and Shikoku; the creature is known as bachi hebi (バチヘビ) in Northeastern Japan.

ツチノコ
GroupingYokai
Sub groupingReptile
Other name(s)Tsuchinoko (Romaji),
Bachi-hebi (North Japan)
CountryJapan

Tsuchinoko are described as being between 30 and 80 centimetres (12 and 31 inches) in length, similar in appearance to a snake, but with a central girth that is much wider than its head or tail, and as having fangs and venom similar to that of a viper.[1] Some accounts also describe the tsuchinoko as being able to jump up to 1 metre (3.3 feet) in distance followed immediately by a second jump while still in the air.[2]

According to legend, some tsuchinoko have the ability to speak and a propensity for lying, and they are also said to have a taste for alcohol. Legend records that it will sometimes swallow its own tail so that it can roll like a wheel, similarly to the "hoop snake" of American legend.[3]

See also

References
  1. Moriguchi, Kenzo (2001-06-16). "Town touting mythical snake find; is 'rare' creature really a cash cow?". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
  2. Metropolis, "Fortean Japan", 27 June 2008, p. 12.
  3. Pruett, Chris (November 2010). "The Anthropology of Fear: Learning About Japan Through Horror Games" (PDF). Interface on the Internet. 10 (9). Retrieved July 26, 2018.
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