Did you know that giants once roamed Japan? Right here, we stand on what is known as Daidarabotchi Legend Land. It’s a place tied to the myths of the Daidarabotchi. Who was this Daidarabotchi?
The Daidarabotchi was a gigantic yōkai. This yōkai sometimes appeared as a mountain range when sleeping. Legends say these colossal humanoids resembled bald-headed priests. They had big eyes, long tongues, and dark skin.
These giants were so large that their movements shaped the world. They built mountains by piling up rocks and dirt. The Daidarabotchi even moved mountains to other places. Their footprints left lakes and valleys behind.
Many places across Japan are believed to have been made by Daidarabotchi. The towns of Daita in Setagaya ward of Tōkyō and Daitakubo in Saitama are examples. These towns are named after Daidarabotchi. People say that Daidarabotchi created them.
Mount Fuji is sometimes credited to Daidarabotchi. The giant scooped dirt from Kai Province to make the mountain. This is why the area around Mount Fuji is a basin. He dug more dirt from Omi Province and that area became Lake Biwa.
One legend says Daidarabotchi weighed Mount Fuji and Mount Tsukuba. He wanted to see which was heavier. Accidentally, he split Tsukuba’s peak.
The Hitachi no Kuni Fudoki tells of a Daidarabotchi. This giant lived on a hill west of a post office of Hiratsu Ogushi. He ate giant clams from the beach. He piled the shells on top of a hill.
Today, remember the legends of Daidarabotchi as we explore this area. Think of the giant’s footsteps shaping the land around us. The Daidarabotchi’s legacy remains. It lives on in the place names and the landscape.