Materials from the Caltech Archives are made available online for research purposes. Permission for reproduction, distribution, public display, performance, or publication must be obtained in writing from the Head of Archives. The Caltech Archives makes no representation that it is the copyright owner in all of its holdings. It is the responsibility of the user to obtain all necessary rights and clearances for use of materials. For questions, contact Head of Archives.
Description
According to Japanese legend, earthquakes were caused by the movements of a monster catfish that lived under the island of Japan. Immediately following the great Ansei earthquake of October 2, 1855, woodblock prints called Namazu-e ("catfish pictures") appeared in Edo (now Tokyo), the most affected area. These imaginative and sometimes brutal depictions served as a unique source of information and reassurance to the local population. In this picture, the god of the Kashima Shrine holds the catfish in check with his sword. Shown above is the shrine with the great rock which was also supposed to hold the catfish down. It was while the god was travelling that the Namazu escaped and wreaked havoc. 1855
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
