![]() ![]() He was punished by an angry ruler and exiled with his son to a small island. Many legends were composed about him, but one, connected with the serpent, is more curious than the others. One of Japan's favorite kite legends tells of a 12th-century samurai warrior, Minamoto no Tametom, who broke the emperor's law. In Japan, as in China, there are many stories of kites being used to transport or lift people, for military purposes, or for personal gain. Some of the designs were meant to attract good luck, while others were meant to ward off evil spirits. These new representations symbolized prosperity, good luck and abundance. Among the first products, innovative cranes, dragons, fish and turtles can be noted. The basic rectangular shape, traditional for China, has been transformed and acquired many variants. The Japanese absorbed most of the Chinese culture, but they also managed to develop their own distinctive designs. The name first appeared in a Japanese dictionary compiled in 989, where they were referred to as "paper hawks", indicating that the first kites in Japan were bird-shaped. This happened between the sixth and eighth centuries. Photos: All photos are by Kevin O’Shea (blog author) and more can be found here.It is believed that kites were brought to Japan by Buddhist priests who traveled from Korea and China during the historical Nara period. Sources:, Wikipedia and my own knowledge and observations. Hope you have a chance to see them on your next outing or trip to Japan.įor more on Black Kites and birds in Japan check out the Birds of Kansai Facebook page. This powerful owl can easily pick off even adult Black Kites and can sometimes be found in northern parts of Hokkaido (common throughout Europe and other parts of Asia).īlack Kites are definitely an abundant and very cool bird to see around Japan. Some people refer to them as Black-eared Kites because of that dark ear patch, but most simply call them Black Kites.īeing a large raptor, Black Kites virtually have no predators aside from one, the Eurasian Eagle-owl. Their upper plumage is brown but the head and neck tend to be paler. Kites are relatively uniform in appearance. They are apparently attracted to smoke and fire where they search for escaping prey. I have watched them dive towards the ocean plucking fish from the water and I have also seen them dive-bomb people at highway rest stops trying to steal their rice balls and bento box lunches. They are also known to scavenge which is one of the reasons they are so successful a species. They prey upon fish, rodents, and other birds. Male and female Black Kites look very similar and are very opportunistic hunters. They are very graceful flyers that soar with ease and turn with precision. I’ve also seen them in farming areas throughout the Kansai region of Japan. You can see this powerful looking bird often soaring in the thermals high above coastal areas, rivers and lakes. This bird can be mainly found in Eurasia, Australasia, Oceania and is a year-round resident here in Japan. Its numbers are healthy and is under no threat. This raptor is thought to be the world’s most abundant bird of prey. The Black Kite or “Tobi” トビ as it is known in Japanese is a common sight in the skies throughout Japan. The second installment in the new nature series about Japan. ![]()
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