I went to Isora Shrine in Shikama Town, Miyagi Prefecture, which can be said to be a sacred place for kappa fans.
Isora Shrine is generally known by the name 'Okappa-sama,' right? It is a rare shrine nationwide (some say it is the only one) that enshrines a 'kappa statue' as its sacred object.♪　(Nihedon @ KesaranPasaran Lab)

On the night of November 28, 2016, a strong northwesterly wind blew fiercely, causing the 'sacred tree that had been in the shrine for hundreds of years' to fall, and as a result, one of the 'stone lanterns' nearby was broken.

However, it is said that 'red chili-colored flowers' bloomed in the place where the broken lantern had been. Locally, this is said to be 'the tears of the kappa, mourning the broken lantern, turning into flowers.'

Isora Shrine enshrined Isora Myojin, brought over from Kashima District in Hitachi Province, during Sakanoue no Tamuramaro's campaign to subdue the Tohoku region (Enryaku 23, 804 AD). Originally, it was worshiped as the tutelary deity of the estate of Masayama Sanjurou (a retainer of the Osaki clan) further south, and was later moved to this location.

Isora Shrine is generally known by the name 'Okappa-sama,' and it is one of the rare shrines in Japan (some say the only one) where a 'kappa statue' is enshrined as the sacred object.

This sacred object is said to bring blessings for 'matchmaking' and 'childbearing,' and remarkably, it is displayed only once every 60 years. The next schedule is not yet known, so if anyone knows, please let me know.

Every year, on the 4th Saturday and Sunday of July, the 'Kappa Festival' is held (apparently with an all-night eve festival), featuring offerings like the 'Kappa Drums' and 'Kappa Dance.' I would love to go there someday!