Shachihoko

A shachihoko float used in Karatsu Kunchi festival

A shachihoko (鯱鉾 or 鯱) or shachi (鯱) is an animal in Japanese folklore with the head of a tiger and the body of a carp.^[1] It was believed that this animal could cause the rain to fall, and as such, temples and castles were often adorned with roof ornaments (shibi) crafted in the form of a shachihoko, in order to protect them from fire.

When pronounced "shachi", 鯱 also means orca.^[2]

A shachihoko decorates the roof of Okayama Castle

↑ しゃちほこ (in Japanese). 三省堂大辞林.
↑ "しゃち" (in Japanese). 三省堂大辞林.

Japanese folklore

Folktales	Bunbuku Chagama Hanasaka Jiisan Issun-bōshi Kachi-kachi Yama Kintarō Momotarō Nezumi no Sumō Saru Kani Gassen Shita-kiri Suzume Taketori Monogatari Tamamo-no-Mae Tawara Tōda Urashima Tarō Yamata no Orochi Yotsuya Kaidan

Text collections	Konjaku Monogatarishū Otogizōshi

Legendary creatures	Akaname Bakeneko Daidarabotchi Dragon Futakuchi-onna Gashadokuro Goryō Inugami Gyoubu Kappa Kasha Kirin Kitsune Mujina Nue Obake Onryō Oni Rokurokubi Satori Shachihoko Shōjō Shuten-dōji Tanuki Tengu Tenome Tsukumogami Tsuchigumo Tsuchinoko Umi Zatō Ushi-oni Uwan Yama-uba Yuki-onna Yūrei Zashiki-warashi

Mythology in popular culture Legendary creatures

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