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.
This ukiyo-e print depicts the deity of Kashima Shrine pinning down the giant catfish.
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.