A kappa (河童 (かっぱ), lit. river child) is a type of water sprite found in Japanese folklore. It is famous for its love of cucumbers and also its odd eating habits, such as feeding on hapless victims by sucking out the entrails through the anus; this leads to its other name: shirikodama (anus) vampire.
Their appearance varies; some are drawn with an ape-like face or a bird beak, hair circling the skull, tortoise shell, and scaly body. Notable characteristics include humanoid (child size), a water-filled head depression, and webbed feet and hands.
