Originally Published 10/22/2019 - Updated 10/20/2025
In Japan, the turtle (kame) is a joyful emblem of longevity, wisdom, protection, and steady good fortune. It appears in courtly art, shrine lore, and folktales—from the patient, long-tailed minogame to the northern guardian Genbu (Black Tortoise). For our Muromachi-period Crown Tournament feast, turtle symbolism tied neatly to the suppon hot pot we served: a nourishing dish with deep historical roots.
During Japan’s Muromachi period (1336–1573), when Zen aesthetics and courtly rituals blended with warrior culture, symbolic animals often appeared in art and ceremonial meals. The turtle (kame), long associated with immortality and wisdom, represented the enduring stability of the shogunate and the virtues of patience and loyalty — qualities praised in poetry, calligraphy, and seasonal foods alike.
- Longevity: proverbial “ten-thousand years” of life; the long-tailed minogame signals great age and auspice.
- Wisdom & Protection: a steady, shell-borne guardian; paired with cranes for long life and felicity.
- Cosmic Role: Genbu, the Black Tortoise, guards the North and winter among the Four Symbols.
Urashima Tarō at a Glance
The beloved folktale tells of a kind fisherman who saves a turtle and is taken to the undersea palace of Princess Otohime. After what feels like a few joyous days, he returns home to find centuries have passed. When he opens the forbidden box (tamatebako) given to him, time overtakes him. The tale entwines the turtle with compassion, reward, and the mystery of time—motifs still echoed in art and festival retellings.
Genbu, the Black Tortoise of the North
Beyond folktales, turtle imagery also belongs to the East Asian constellation guardians. In Japan, the Black Tortoise—Genbu—rules the North and winter among the “Four Symbols,” often depicted as a tortoise entwined with a snake. Temples, gates, and artworks invoke Genbu’s stabilizing, protective force.
Minogame: the Long-Tailed Turtle
The minogame grows trailing, algae-like filaments over centuries, a visual shorthand for extreme age and good fortune. In paintings and netsuke you’ll often see cranes and pines alongside turtles—an auspicious trio of longevity and steadfastness.
Culinary Note: Suppon (Softshell Turtle) & Our Feast
Softshell turtle (suppon) hot pot (nabe) has a documented culinary history in Japan, prized as restorative fare. That practical, seasonal nourishment harmonizes with the symbolic “long life” resonances of turtle across literature and art.
➤ See the dish: Suppon Nabe — Japanese Turtle Hot Pot
In humoral and traditional East Asian thought, turtle meat is considered cooling and restorative—balancing excess internal heat and strengthening vitality. It was served to restore strength or mark auspicious occasions, aligning both culinary and symbolic meanings of longevity.
Story Text (Reference)
Show the Urashima Tarō narrative…
Long, long ago, in a small village near the sea in the south of Japan, lived a young fisherman named Urashima Tarō. Although he was a fine fisherman, he was best known for his kind heart.
One day, as he returned home from his work, he noticed a group of boisterous children tormenting a small turtle. Urashima Tarō’s heart went out to the creature.
“Children, that is such a fine turtle. Why not help it back into the sea?” he asked kindly.
The children only laughed and continued to poke at the poor turtle. “If you will give me the turtle,” said Urashima Tarō, “I will give you the money from my catch today.”
The children looked at the large basket of fish and quickly agreed. The kindhearted fisherman spoke softly to the turtle. “You, my friend, will live a long and full life in the beautiful sea.” Then he set the turtle gently into the waves.
Some days later, as Urashima Tarō fished, his line hung still and his thoughts drifted to the turtle he had rescued. Suddenly, a strange voice rose from the water: “Urashima Tarō-san, Urashima Tarō-san!”
Before him appeared a large and ancient turtle. “I am the one you saved,” it said. “As repayment for your kindness, I have come to take you to the palace of the King of the Sea. Climb upon my back.”
Urashima Tarō grasped the turtle’s shell and was carried down, down into the green depths. As the light from above faded, a new radiance glimmered ahead. They passed through coral gates guarded by swordfish and entered a city of wonders—avenues of swaying sea grasses, buildings of pale coral, and creatures of every hue moving in harmony.
At last they came to a vast palace. The turtle led Urashima before the king, who asked, “Is this the fisherman who saved you?”
“Yes, Majesty,” replied the turtle.
“Then we shall honor him,” said the king. “My daughter will be his guide.”
From beside the throne rose a beautiful princess whose robes shimmered with all the colors of the reef. “Fisherman, helper of the wise turtle,” she said, “follow me.”
Together they explored the palace, feasting on delicacies from the seven seas and listening to music played by crabs, lobsters, and octopuses upon the biwa, koto, and drums. Time slipped by unnoticed as they read ancient scrolls and shared stories beneath the waves.
At length, Urashima Tarō grew homesick. The princess perceived his longing. “We understand,” she said gently. “You wish to return to your home above the sea.”
She presented him with a black lacquered box tied with a red ribbon. “Take this tamatebako. As long as you keep it closed, happiness will be yours.”
Urashima bowed deeply. “I shall treasure it always as a remembrance of your kindness.”
Riding upon the turtle once more, he soon found himself back on the familiar shore. But to his astonishment, everything had changed. His village was larger; the faces were strange. When he asked after his family, the oldest villagers spoke only of ancient tales—of a fisherman named Urashima Tarō who had vanished centuries before.
Heart-broken, he wandered to the beach. “Perhaps,” he thought, “the princess has left some comfort for me in the box.” Forgetting her warning, he untied the ribbon and lifted the lid.
A tendril of silvery smoke rose into the air and curled around him. His hands shriveled, his hair turned white, and his back bent with age. The years he had escaped beneath the sea returned all at once. When the mist cleared, an old man stood alone upon the shore.
A young boy passing by saw him and wondered who this white-haired stranger might be. It was Urashima Tarō, who had pursued happiness over obedience and, in doing so, lost the gift of time the sea had granted him.
—Traditional Japanese folktale, adapted for historical context.
Glossary
- Kame (亀) – Turtle; a symbol of long life and wisdom.
- Minogame (蓑亀) – “Long-tailed turtle,” representing 10,000 years of life.
- Genbu (玄武) – The Black Tortoise of the North, one of the Four Celestial Guardians.
- Suppon (スッポン) – Japanese softshell turtle, prized for its restorative broth.
- Tamatebako (玉手箱) – The “jeweled hand box” from the Urashima Tarō legend.
Sources & Further Reading
- Kyuhoshi — Urashima Tarō and the Turtles
- The Four Symbols (Chinese Constellations) – overview of Genbu and its Japanese syncretism.
- Genbu in Japanese mythology – guardian of the north and symbol of winter.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment on this blog. Please note blatant advertisements will be marked as spam and deleted during the review.
Anonymous posting is discouraged.
Happy Cooking!
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.