Amabie is a legendary Japanese mermaid

Mermaid

A mermaid is a mythological aquatic creature with a female human head, arms, and torso and the tail of a fish. A male version of a mermaid is known as a "merman" and in general both males and females are known as "merfolk"...

 who, it is said, came from the sea and prophesied either an abundant harvest

Harvest

Harvest is the process of gathering mature crops from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper...

 or an epidemic. There are similar mermaids related to her; , ' onMouseout='HidePop("90862")' href="/topics/Kumamoto_Prefecture">Kumamoto Prefecture

Kumamoto Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyushu Island. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.- History :Historically the area was called Higo Province; and the province was renamed Kumamoto during the Meiji Restoration. The creation of prefectures was part of the abolition of the feudal system...

) in Edo era at midday on April 3, Koka 1846. Every day a shining object appeared just beneath the surface of the sea until the Oyakunin (administrator) of the town went to the coast to see for himself, making the Amabie rise from where until then only light had been seen. From her waist down her body was that of a fish but scales covered all her skin, they were not limited by her waist, her lips protruded like a dome-crowned cylinder. Addressing the Oyakunin the Aamabie identified herself as Amabie and told him that she lives in the open sea, then she made a prophecy; "Good harvest will continue for six years, if disease spreads show a picture of me to those that are ill and they will be cured." She immediately went back into the sea after that.
The story appeared in the Kawara-ban (a collection of engraved tiles), and her image was shown in it and was known throughout Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

.

Other specters

is a merman related to the Amabie. He appeared in the sea

Sea

A sea generally refers to a large body of salt water, but the term is used in other contexts as well. Most commonly, it means a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, and is commonly used as a synonym for ocean...

 of Higono-kuni, and proclaimed there will be good harvest

Harvest

Harvest is the process of gathering mature crops from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper...

 and a disaster would be overcome by showing a of picture him like Amabie. And in Hiuga-koku (Miyazaki prefecture

Miyazaki Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Miyazaki.- History :Historically, after the Meiji Restoration, Hyūga Province was renamed Miyazaki Prefecture....

), it is said that a specter named appeared and left in a similar prediction. In the article of Yamanashi Nichinich Shinbun (newspaper) 17 June in 1876, it reported that the a specter termed as Arie who had similar appearance poked up in Higono-kuni Aoshima gun. In the Yuubin Houchi Shinbun 10 June, there was an article about Amahiko as well. There were three common characteristics: the first being the appearance from the sea, the second being the prediction of the good harvest and the plague, and the third being a solution of disaster by showing the apparition's picture. On the other hand, in Tokyo Nichi-nichi shinbun 8 August, the article which appeared in the rice paddy Yuzawa machi Niigata prefecture. In Amakusa, the lore existed that appeared in the forest of mountains.
The last two did not appear from the sea, but their form was the same.

Reference books

• 水木しげる　『図説 日本妖怪大全』　講談社、1994年、50頁。
• 村上健司　『妖怪事典』　毎日新聞社、2000年、23-24頁。
• 湯本豪一 『明治妖怪新聞』柏書房 1999年 196-198頁
• 湯本豪一 『地方発 明治妖怪ニュース』 柏書房 1999年 174-175頁
• 『日本の幻獣-未確認生物出現録- 企画展解説図録』 川崎市民ミュージアム 2004年