On the outskirts of Kappabashi Shopping Street, one of Japan's top districts for kitchenware sales, lies Sogenji Temple, also known as "Kappa-dera" (Kappa Temple).
　 The nickname comes from a separate hall (called "Kappa-do") dedicated to a deity called "Kappa Daimyojin," but incredibly, it also houses a mummified kappa hand!　(Nihedon @ KesaranPasaran Lab)

First, please take a look at the photo above, the grave of "Kawatar?-san" at S?genji Temple. This "Kawatar?-san" appears to have been a real person, whose real name was "Kihachi-san," and who ran a raincoat shop in this area in the early 1800s.

Originally, the area east of the Sumida River had poor drainage, so it was always flooded when it rained, making it a very difficult place to live, let alone do business.

Then, in 1814 (Bunka 11), this "Kihachi-san" supposedly sacrificed his own resources to carry out flood control work on this land. Therefore, the bridge built over the canal at that time came to be called "Kappabashi" (Kappa Bridge), after Kihachi-san of the Kappa-ya (raincoat shop).

So, why is it called "Kappa"? Apparently, it's because "the Kappa of the Sumida River, who had been helped by Kihachi-san in the past, helped out as a way of repaying the favor" during the flood control work.

Of course, the "Kappa" referred to here is probably not the legendary "mysterious creature with a plate on its head, a shell, and a beak." It likely refers to the people who lived on the Sumida River embankment. Well, I think it's more interesting if real "Kappa" helped out!

*The tombstone is inscribed with the haiku: 「てっぺんに手向けの水や川太郎」 means "Water offered at the top, Kawataro."