ōnamazu; giant catfish thought to cause earthquakes
In Japanese mythology, a giant catfish believed to live underground and cause earthquakes by thrashing about. Often depicted in Edo-period prints.
In the Edo period, earthquakes were thought to be caused by the thrashing of a giant catfish.
この浮世絵には、鹿島神宮の神様がオオナマズを押さえつけている様子が描かれている。
This ukiyo-e print depicts the deity of Kashima Shrine pinning down the giant catfish.
Katakana spelling is common for this mythological creature; usually written in kana.
Mixed kanji-katakana spelling; seen in some texts.
Full kanji spelling; rare and may not be widely recognized.
From 大 (ō, 'big') + 鯰 (namazu, 'catfish'). The mythological association with earthquakes dates back to the Edo period.