- The Kanji reads, (Kappa swept away by the river) a Japanese proverb conveying that even a person who is considered a master at something can make mistakes. Kappas are spirits in Japanese folklore that are often known to favor cucumbers and have a love for sumo wrestling. It is also believed they assault humans in the water and remove a mythical ball said to contain a person's soul, called the shirikodama, from the victim's anus.