Kappa

This painting was a special commission.

A friend was writing a book for his family. When his children were young, they spent many happy hours making sushi and he wanted to record the history for them to read and remember as the years went by.

So, I was asked to paint an illustration of this little sprite.

The history is written below by the author himself, Mr Patrick Larkin:

“Kappa is one of the mythological Japanese water sprites. He is often portrayed as being malicious, sometimes just mischievous but always courteous. Children placate him before going for a swim by throwing cucumbers into the water after having first carved their name and age into the fruit. Cucumbers are one of Kappa’s favourite foods.

The Kappa has a special significance for sushi makers as kappa-maki, one of the simplest forms of the thin maki sushi roll, is named after him. The roll ids made of cucumber and prepared sushi rice wrapped in thin nori seaweed.”