Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: 金亀, Golden Turtle
Category: Turtle
The Myth
The Kinki is a mysterious golden turtle reportedly discovered in Kōjimachi, Tokyo, in August 1880. It was found by a pet dog belonging to Shib a Shōzō. The dog had a habit of bringing stones to its owner when hungry, but on this occasion it dropped a turtle instead. The creature was approximately four sun in diameter, with a beautiful, translucent golden shell. It was placed in water to keep it alive and later donated to a museum.
A follow-up report in the Tōkyō Nichinichi Shimbun in October 1880 described a dream in which a small turtle appeared beside a person’s pillow and lamented that, had it emerged fifteen or sixteen years earlier, it might have been celebrated as a Kinki and become the inspiration for a new Japanese era name.
The story refers to the historical belief that extraordinary turtles could be regarded as auspicious omens. Rare turtles presented to the imperial court had previously been associated with era names such as Reiki (715–717) and Hōki (770–781).
Sources
“Golden Turtle.” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1074264664.html