What is Kesaranpasaran? A detailed explanation of the mysterious object that brings good fortune [Yamagata Prefecture]

Kesaran Pasaranare said to bring happiness to those who possess them, but surprisingly, many don't really know whether they are living creatures or plants.

This article provides detailed information about Kesaranpasan, a dish that has a deep connection to Yamagata

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What is Kesaran Pasaran ?

Kesaran Pasaran is a type of cryptid (unidentified mysterious animal) that is said to fall from the sky to shrines and the base of trees between February and March . It is thought to be similar to what is known in the West as gossamer or angel hair

These are believed to be plants, animals, minerals, or insects, and38 have been confirmed in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture.

In 2015, it was exhibited at the Yamagata Prefectural Museum for a limited time until August 20th, and is now on permanent display in the freshwater and saltwater fish section of the Tsuruoka City Kamo Aquarium

Kesaranpathan is said to bring the following to its owner:

• No need to worry about what to wear
• Don't get sick
• Get rich

It is placed in a paulownia wood box along with face powder, which is considered food, and enshrined on the household altar. It is said that one should only look at it once a year, as this will cause good fortune to escape

Reference:Yamagata Prefectural Museum "We are exhibiting Tensarabasara (Kesaran Pasaran) for a limited time."

Reference:Tsuruoka City Kamo Aquarium Official Website

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The origin of the name Kesaran Pasaran

Kesaranpasaran is a strange name that doesn't sound very Japanese, but what is the origin of the name?

There are various theories, so here are a few

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• It comes from the Spanish phrase "Que Será, Será," which means "Whatever will be, will be."
• The name comes from "Tensarabasara," which means something that falls from the sky
• The name comes from the Sanskrit words "Kesara/Basara."
• The word comes from a Tohoku dialect phrase meaning "I have no idea what's going on."
• Its name comes from its dry, feather-like appearance

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Each theory has some plausibility, but it's unclear which one is correct

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Kesaran PasaranResearch

Perhaps because its true identity and the origin of its name are unclear, Kesaranpasaran has long been a subject of research for folklorists

The paper "Tensara Basara," published by Mitsutami Sato in 1952 in "Minkan Densho," the journal of the Folklore Society of Japan , contains three stories from Yamagata Prefecture, which I have summarized in the table below.

Where I heard the story	speaker	Summary of the story
Nenjuseki Village, Nishitagawa County, Yamagata Prefecture	Yasobei	・Tensara Basara is a gift from heaven, and keeping it brings happiness to the household - Found flying 1m above the ground in 1903 ・Misfortunes continued to occur when the storehouse was renovated
Nenjuseki Village, Nishitagawa County, Yamagata Prefecture	Taroshichi	・Found in front of my house the day after a big thunderstorm around 1930 - There are two, each measuring approximately 1.8 cm in diameter
Nenjuseki Village, Nishitagawa County, Yamagata Prefecture	Sato	A gift from heaven that fell with thunder - Pure white and round, shaped like the end of a rabbit's tail, the size of an azuki bean, and covered in dense fur - Eat white flour to grow bigger ・There are good things about having more children

Following this report,Kunio Yanagita,began discussing the matter in the field of "folklore," but their discussions mainly focused on the origins mentioned in the previous section, and they didn't really get to understand what Kesaran Pasaran actually is.

Subsequently, in the 1970s and 1980s, it was featured in media outlets such as the Asahi Shimbun, NHK, and TBS, sparking what is known as the "Kesaran Pasaran boom."

However, in the 1990s, the boom died down and the following classification of Kesaranpathan was proposed:

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① Classification by Kazuo Aso

• Type Ⅰ "Kesarampasaramp" plant pappus
• Type II "Tensarabasara" - dried animal skin with hair
• Type III "Heysarabasara" animal stones
• Type IV "Keshi Pearl" - Modified pearls and modified minerals

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② Classification of Kesaranpasaran.com

• Plant Type
• Animal Type
• Mineral Type
• Insect type
• New types (angel wings, etc.)

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Now that we are able to make such scientific classifications, it can be said that the true nature of Kesaranpathan has become somewhat clearer

However, in his paper entitled "The Supernatural Phenomenon of Naming and Knowledge," Yoshiyuki Iikura, an associate professor at Kokugakuin University, explains that the reason people are attracted to Kesaranpasaran is because of their desire to believe in "something that cannot be explained by science."

As long as this feeling persists, Kesaranpasaran will continue to entertain us as an "unidentified creature."

Reference:Yoshiyuki Iikura, "The Supernatural Phenomenon of 'Naming' and 'Knowledge'"

Reference:International Research Center for Japanese Studies, Database of Strange Phenomena and Yokai Legends "Tensarabasara"

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summary

It turns out that Kesaranpasaran is one of the unidentified creatures that falls from the sky to shrines and tree bases between February and March, and it is said that holding one will bring good luck

If you want to see the real thing, be sure to visit Tsuruoka City Kamo Aquarium

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