NAMAZU – THE HOÀI RIVER MONSTER

That Sunday morning, I embarked on a century ride—cycling from Da Nang through Hội An to Linh Ứng Pagoda on the Son Trà Peninsula—and completed exactly 100 km after passing Red Beach and returning home.

Arriving in Hội An before 6 a.m., with mist shrouding every corner and sleepy boats drifting along the Hoài River, I was startled to discover a hideous creature lurking beneath the Japanese Bridge.

Believe it or not—the Hoài River was in full, unimpeded flow, and the stretch beneath the bridge was so clear that, despite its secretive hiding, the creature revealed its entire form, and I managed to capture it on camera.

Upon delving into Hội An’s history, I learned that this beast is none other than the sea monster known to the Japanese settlers of the 17th century as Jishi Namazu or simply Namazu. The Chinese referred to it as Câu Long, while the Vietnamese called it con Cù.

According to Japanese mythology, Namazu is a colossal catfish, stretching 700 miles long, with its tail in Aomori and its head in Kyoto—symbolically meaning that Japan rests on its back. Whenever Namazu lifts its head or thrashes about, it is said to trigger earthquakes, tsunamis, or volcanic eruptions in Japan. To prevent such chaos, the deity Kashima rides on Namazu’s back and wields the Kaname stone to subdue it.

The Japanese settlers in Hội An believed that while Namazu’s head was in Japan and its tail in India, its massive back passed right through a narrow water channel in Hội An. Consequently, whenever Namazu thrashed, not only would Japan suffer earthquakes, but Hội An would also tremble, disrupting trade and daily life. To pacify this fearsome creature, the settlers consulted a renowned feng shui master to assess the local landscape and river. They then decided to build a bridge spanning the channel. On the bridge’s western end, they installed a pair of stone monkey statues—one male and one female—set on a pedestal facing each other; on the eastern end, a pair of stone dog statues were placed, symbolizing virtuous guardians. The Japanese Bridge came to be regarded as a righteous sword, metaphorically thrust into the spine of Namazu, preventing it from thrashing and causing further seismic disturbances. Meanwhile, the Minh Hương community erected a temple beside the bridge to worship Bắc Đế Chân Võ, also aimed at subduing the notorious Câu Long and restoring peace in Hội An.

Over the centuries, as the tides of history have shifted, Hội An is no longer the bustling international trading port it once was, and the Japanese settlers have long departed. Yet, their traces remain scattered throughout the town. The Japanese Bridge stands as one of Hội An’s most historically significant monuments, imbued with spiritual mysteries—as if it were still that sacred sword keeping Namazu at bay, ensuring the city’s enduring tranquility, and making Hội An one of the most enchanting travel destinations on Earth.