Mt. Unzenうんぜんだけ

1 yokai rooted in Mt. Unzen. Explore the legends tied to this land.

Also known as: 普賢岳 / 雲仙普賢岳
  • Misogoro

    Misogoro

    Rare

    みそごろう

    The Gentle Giant of the Shimabara Peninsula: Misogoro

    Oni / Giant ApparitionsMount Takaiwa (Present-day Minamishimabara City, Nagasaki Prefecture) / Nishiarie (Present-day Nishiarie-cho, Minamishimabara City, Nagasaki Prefecture)

    Misogoro boasts a body so massive that he can sit on Mount Unzen and wash his face in the Ariake Sea, and his every movement is said to have carved the geography of the Shimabara Peninsula. His braced footprint on Mount Takaiwa became Suwa Pond, and the dirt he tossed aside while farming became Yushima (Dangoshima) Island. This chain of origin tales elevates him from a mere apparition to a creator-giant who birthed the peninsula's landscape. The extraordinary diet of licking four *to* of miso a day is a rustic narrative device measuring the giant's body against local staple goods, inseparably linked to the miso-brewing lifestyle of the peninsula. While belonging to the *Daidarabotchi* giant lineage, the unique aspect of the Shimabara version is that he is described with a mildness that helps people without malice. Today, he lives on as a symbol of local heritage in Minamishimabara City through statues and festivals.