Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: イソポトノ, Isepotono, Isopo-tono, Great Rabbit Lord
Category: Rabbit
The Myth
Isopotono is a giant rabbit from Ainu tradition. Its name combines isepo, meaning rabbit, with tono, a title for a lord, king, or powerful person. The creature was said to have lived on Poronupuri, or Mount Umaoi, near the former settlement of Osatsukotan in Hokkaido. Its feet were enormous, and its footprints were as large as the snowshoes used by humans.
The people of Osatsukotan revered Isopotono and the mountain where it lived, offering sake to the great rabbit. In nearby Naganuma, the creature was also regarded as a lord of demons. According to local tradition, Isopotono rode a white horse and defeated evildoers, acting as a powerful figure who punished those who did wrong.
Sources
“Isopotno.” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1081433220.html