Mythical monster goes viral as Japan prays for end of coronavirus pandemic - straits times

Mythical monster goes viral as Japan prays for end of coronavirus pandemic - straits times

Mythical monster goes viral as Japan prays for end of coronavirus pandemic - straits times

Posted: 15 May 2020 03:01 AM PDT

TOKYO (AFP) - Move over Pokemon and Hello Kitty, in coronavirus-hit Japan, a new character has captured hearts and hopes: Amabie, a beak-nosed, long-locked mythical mermaid monster said to repel plagues.

In recent weeks, the mash-up monster has become the unlikely mascot of hopes for an end to the pandemic, emerging from relative obscurity to become a trending Twitter hashtag, as well as the inspiration for everything from cakes to nail art.

Her revival in fortunes was sparked in early March, when the Kyoto University Library tweeted an 1846 drawing of the creature floating above the sea, accompanied by a text explaining her apparent infection-fighting powers.

The scaly social media star is supposed to have appeared to a samurai in southern Kumamoto prefecture, warning of the spread of an infectious disease and instructing him to draw a picture of her and show it to people to protect them.

The post quickly went viral, and sparked the "Amabiechallenge", with everyone from amateurs to artists posting their renditions of the mythical monster.

The long-locked legend has also sparked on outpouring of creative content, including an udon dish featuring Amabie in the form of a fish sausage emerging from a bowl, with the traditional wheat noodles for her hair.

She has also found herself immortalised in bento form, her body and distinctive beak carved from a piece of luncheon meat and hair represented by thin strips of Japanese rolled omelette.

Amabie is part of a rich pantheon of Japanese mystical monsters called yokai.

Many have faded from popular imagination, but others live on, including in the form of modern-day mascots like the turtle-inspired river monster Kappa, now associated with Tokyo's famed kitchen street Kappabashi.


A handout poster from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare obtained on May 15 depicts the mythical Amabie. PHOTO: AFP/JAPAN'S MINISTRY OF HEALTH, LABOUR AND WELFARE

Amabie's recent revival has come as something of a surprise to some yokai experts, including Masanobu Kagawa of the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History.

"Amabie is not the oldest yokai in Japanese history to warn of an epidemic, so it's not that important to researchers," he told AFP, describing others including "Jinja-hime" (shrine princess), who features a woman's face and a dragon's body.

But none seem to have captured the imagination quite like Amabie.

At one Japanese cake shop in northern Akita prefecture, a version of her rendered as a traditional wagashi cake in pastel pinks and blues has been flying off the shelves, sales manager Hirohide Kato told AFP.

"This is the first time we've made Amabie-themed cakes," he said.

They can only produce 250 a day, but "they're so popular they sell out by noon." And at an aquarium in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, a sea lion who has gained fame for his calligraphy and painting skills has been trained to draw the monster.

"He started drawing Amabie in late March, practising for about a month," keeper Sae Ishino told AFP.

"We perform the drawing of Amabie hoping the pandemic of the new coronavirus will come to an end soon."

What's happening during Aberdeenshire Wellbeing Festival - Grampian Online

Posted: 16 May 2020 12:30 AM PDT

Aberdeenshire Wellbeing Festival will be a virtual event for 2020, with a wide selection of events organised to take place throughout the week.

Running from Monday, May 18, activities include mindfulness, art, fitness, stories, cookery and much more with something for all ages and all interests to ensure everybody can spend some time focussing on their wellbeing.

The following events will be taking place daily throughout the week:

  • Henry Storytime Activities - come and join in with Henry the Bear and his friends for the fun story and games session for wee ones. Find out more here: www.livelifeaberdeenshire.org.uk/live-life-at-home/
  • Mindful Fish Trail at the Macduff Marine Aquarium Click on the link and explore the aquarium website to get a close up look at some of our fish. Take some time out to explore your surroundings and do some calming colouring in. www.facebook.com/macduffmarineaquarium/
  • Alzheimer Scotland are offering a new way for people who care for someone with dementia to meet up and chat, you can give them an e-mail at aberdeenrc@alzscot.org.
  • Grampian Cardiac Rehabilitation Association offer some great online exercises led by specialist exercise instructors, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3KHLMrGMMI&feature=youtu.be
Aberdeenshire Wellbeing Festival.
Aberdeenshire Wellbeing Festival.

The following events are scheduled for Monday, May 18:

  • 10am - Meditation with Pushp. Maximum number 10. For more information contact: pushpvaid@gmail.com.
  • 10am - Calm Breath, Calm Mind. Feeling anxious and stressed? Do you know the quickest way to settle and calm the nervous system is through the breath? Altering the breath has an immediate effect on the brain. Join for calming breathing practices, finishing with a short love and kindness meditation. For more information e-mail: eunicestephen29@yahoo.co.uk.
  • 1.30pm - Family Cartoon "Monster" Drawing for P5 to P7 Pupils. Enrol your family/children for this session and have fun learning to draw. All you will need is access to a computer/tablet/smart phone and a pencil, rubber, paper and some colouring pencils. To register for a place contact Lyn 07779647354 or email pickypencil@hotmail.co.uk. You will be enrolled, and a link sent for the class. Maximum number of eight people or families.
  • 5.30pm - Taster Yoga 4 Health sessions online. Yoga4Health is a social prescribing yoga programme which is for individuals with mild depression and anxiety, those who are at risk of cardiovascular event, those diagnosed as pre-diabetic and for anyone who is socially isolated. This taster session is to provide an introduction to the 10 week programme which can be done on a chair or on a yoga mat so accessible for anyone. You will be introduced to techniques to settle the physical body and mind through movement and breath.You do not need to have any experience of yoga to take part. To register to take part e-mail:yoga4healthgrampian@gmail.com.There are various sessions throughout the week, so remember to state which day and time you would like to attend.

The following events are scheduled for Tuesday, May 19:

  • Therapeutic Photography: The Image of Kindness. A person's perspective on themselves and the world can be gradually explored and changed through the process of taking photographs and discussing with others. In this Therapeutic Photography workshop you will explore how the healing power of photography can be used as a new language to help express the theme of 'kindness towards ourselves and others'. Maximum number of places is 10. You can contact Pillar Kincardine by phone 01569 767222 or e-mail info@pillarkincardine.co.uk to book your place. If leaving a message please don't forget to leave your contact details.
  • 10am - An Introduction to Mindfulness. This will be through Google Meet, and you can email lindsay.lumsden@aberdeenshire.gov.uk to book a place and for instructions on how to join the session. A maximum number of 10 places are available.
  • 10am - Mental Health Simplified Virtual Workshop. A workshop which looks at what happens when our mental wellbeing goes out of balance, how this affects us, and what we can do to regain balance and prevent further relapses. We will also look at how practices like mindfulness and meditation can play a positive part in maintaining our mental wellbeing and why it works so well to treat that. To register to join Tuesday's meeting click here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUtdu-rrz8rEtT_bxG4ptBO9OptK7j3GgOm
  • 10am - Calm Breath, Calm Mind. Feeling anxious and stressed?Do you know the quickest way to settle and calm the nervous system is through the breath? Altering the breath has an immediate effect on the brain.Join me in calming breathing practices, finishing with a short love and kindness meditation. E-mail eunicestephen29@yahoo.co.uk for a Zoom link
  • 11am - EFT (Tapping) - Emotional Freedom Technique. EFT is based on the ancient Chinese medical system of acupuncture meridians.Instead of needles you use your fingers to tap a specific sequence of point on your body.This releases blocked energy (feelings) bringing relief to a wide variety of emotional and physical ailments. This will be done using Zoom.For more information contact Nichola by e-mailing nictheusher@gmail.com or phone 07925 596034.You do not have to have Zoom to participate.
  • 3pm - Stonehaven Community Chinwag. An opportunity to meet people in the same community online and have a chat, getting to know one and other in the community and building connections. The chat will be accessible by Jitsi Meet - https://meet.jit.si/StoneyCommunityChinwag
  • 4pm - Indian Cooking Class. The maximum number of participants for this session is seven. You can get in touch by e-mailing pushpvaid@gmail.com.
  • 6.45pm - General Hatha Yoga. Matbased yoga class which incorporates breath work, warm up, sun salutations, posture work, relaxation with the theme of Kindness.This is just a taster so it's a shorter than normal class based on existing classes that I normally take. Suitable for beginners. To register for the free taster session please email:gayle.yoga@btinternet.com
  • 7.30pm - Calm Breath, Calm Mind. Feeling anxious and stressed?Do you know the quickest way to settle and calm the nervous system is through the breath? Altering the breath has an immediate effect on the brain.Join in calming breathing practices, finishing with a short love and kindness meditation. E-mail eunicestephen29@yahoo.co.uk for a Zoom link.

The following events are scheduled for Wednesday, May 20:

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