Current Date: 09 Oct, 2025
{{entry.title}}

Mystery of 300-year-old mummified mermaid is being probed

There is a 300-year-old mummified mermaid with 30 centimetres tall and features a human-like head, two hands with what appear to be fingernails, and its lower body that look like a fish tail. The “mermaid mummy” is being probed by Japanese scientists in an attempt to unravel the mystery of its existence.

Japanese experts are investigating the presence of a 300-year-old “mermaid mummy.”

The creature stands 30 centimetres tall, with a human-like head, creepy face, and two hands with fingernails.

Its lower body, however, resembles the tail of a fish.

Mystery of 300 year old mummified mermaid is being probed 1
The creature stands 30 centimetres tall and has a human head, a frightening look, and two hands with fingernails. Photo Credit: Asahi Shimbun

According to the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, the “mummified mermaid” was caught in a fishing net off the coast of Shikoku between 1736 and 1741, according to a note saved in the same box.

The species was purchased by a family before being passed down to another.

“The fisherman who caught it had no idea it was a mermaid and sold it as a rare fish in Osaka.” According to the New York Post, “my ancestors purchased it and maintained it as a family treasure.”

It was put on display in a temple in Asakuchi about 40 years ago. It’s unclear how it got the remains.

Mystery of 300 year old mummified mermaid is being probed 4
The “mummified mermaid” was reportedly caught in a fishing net off the coast of the island of Shikoku between 1736 and 1741. Photo Credit: Asahi Shimbun

The mummified object was transported to Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts’ veterinary facility for a CT scan in order to ascertain its exact origins.

The mummy, which looks to be locked in a scream, is seen reclining on the examination table with its hairy head and scaley bottom on full view.

This is the first time the creature has been investigated scientifically. The findings are set to be released later this year.

Mermaid mummy believed to grant immortality

The project was founded by Hiroshi Kinoshita, 54, of the Okayama Folklore Society, while he was preparing to be a natural historian who examined strange entities.

Mermaid mummies, according to tradition, are objects of worship and are thought to foresee infectious diseases, according to Mr Kinoshita, according to the New York Post.

“Japanese mermaids have an immortality legend,” he explained.

Mystery of 300 year old mummified mermaid is being probed 3
It is the first time the creature has been scientifically examined. Photo credit: Asahi Shimbun

“It is rumored that if you eat mermaid flesh, you will never die.”

“In many parts of Japan, there is a legend that a woman ate the flesh of a mermaid by accident and lived for 800 years.”

According to the Asahi Shimbun, Kozen Kuida, the top priest of the temple where the mummy is kept, he has been worshipping it, “hoping that it will help ease the coronavirus outbreak even if only a little.”

“I’m hoping that the research study will be documented for future generations.”

Similar Stories
The Remarkable story of jazz bassists Henry Grimes, lost but found as janitor and reclaimed the spotlight

The Remarkable story of jazz bassists Henry Grimes, lost but found as janitor and reclaimed the spotlight

Henry Grimes, one of the most versatile jazz bassists, disappeared in the 1960s and was later presumed dead. However, a jazz-loving social worker found him in 2002 working as a janitor in a hotel. Grimes found his way back into the limelight when a fellow musician sent him a bass as a gift. In 2016, he received a lifetime achievement award.

The mysterious GIANT spherical stones

The mysterious GIANT spherical stones

Mysterious spherical stones ranging in size from a few millimeters to several meters have been discovered in Crimea, United States, Russia, and New Zealand. There are many theories from various geologists, but none of them are clear.

10 Rarest and Albino animals you haven’t seen

10 Rarest and Albino animals you haven’t seen

For centuries, people have been fascinated and enchanted by the ghostly appearances of abnormally white animals. People have loved albinos and other unusually white animals so much that they may be helping to increase their numbers, despite the difficulties these animals face in the wild. While these unusual animals did not win the genetic lottery, they have persevered in the face of adversity.

Mystery SOLVED: blood Rain in India

Mystery SOLVED: blood Rain in India

The dissemination of spores of microalgae has been identified as the origin of the 'Blood Rain' phenomena, according to a new study by Indian and Austrian experts. Since 1896, reports of intermittent red-colored rain in portions of Kerala and Sri Lanka have been coming in. The most recent one occurred in 2013 over Kerala.

The mysterious secret of Dr James Barry

The mysterious secret of Dr James Barry

Before women were allowed to enroll in medical school, Margaret Ann Bulkley studied medicine and assumed the identity of Dr. James Barry for 56 years while dressing as a man. After 46 years of service as an army doctor officer, her secret was not made public until after her death in 1865.

Jimmy Carter Once Promised to Release UFO Files—Here’s Why He Didn’t

Jimmy Carter Once Promised to Release UFO Files—Here’s Why He Didn’t

During his 1976 presidential campaign, Jimmy Carter declared a bold intention: if elected, he would make all government UFO information available to the public. A man who openly admitted to having seen a UFO himself, Carter embodied a promise of transparency on one of the most controversial subjects of the Cold War era. However, once in office, Carter found powerful obstacles and, citing "national security concerns," chose not to release the files. This article unpacks Carter’s famous guarantee, the political realities he faced, and the enduring mystery surrounding government UFO secrecy.

El Ojo, The Mysterious Rotating Island

El Ojo, The Mysterious Rotating Island

In the middle of South America, a strange and nearly perfectly circle island moves on its own. The central landmass, known as 'El Ojo' or 'The Eye,' floats on a pond of clear and chilly water, looking strange and out of place in comparing to its surroundings. The bottom appears to be solid in compared to the marsh around it.

The Unsolved mystery of Bobby Dunbar's Disappearance

The Unsolved mystery of Bobby Dunbar's Disappearance

In 1912, a four-year-old boy named Bobby Dunbar went missing on a family trip, 8 months later he was found and reunited with his family. Nearly a century later, DNA testing of his descendants revealed that the child reunited with the Dunbar family was not Bobby, but rather a boy named Charles (Bruce) Anderson who resembled Bobby.

The Heartbreaking Story Of Ella Harper, The ‘Camel Girl’

The Heartbreaking Story Of Ella Harper, The ‘Camel Girl’

Ella Harper, Professionally known as the “Camel Girl” was born with a rare orthopedic condition that cased her knee to bend backward. Due to this condition, had to walked on all four legs, which resulted in her nickname as “Camel Girl”. Tough it was hard at first, but soon she made a fortune out of it.

What Was the Beast of Gévaudan?

What Was the Beast of Gévaudan?

Between 1764 and 1767, a mysterious animal called the Beast of Gévaudan terrorized the French village called Gévaudan. It attacked and killed about 100 adults and children. While most believe it was a wolf, some say it may have been a wolf-dog hybrid, hyena or even a lion, but without any genetic evidence, the beast will remain a mystery forever.

Will & William Wests: The puzzling situation of two inmates who are identical but not related

Will & William Wests: The puzzling situation of two inmates who are identical but not related

These are the mugshots of Will West and William West, and they are not related. They were both sent to Leavenworth Prison at the same time, in 1903, and after some confusion, the staff understood they had two different prisoners with the nearly same name, who looked exactly alike. They are part of the reason fingerprints are now used as identification.

The Forgotten Story of Marilyn Monroe’s Stolen Dress That Returned Years Later

The Forgotten Story of Marilyn Monroe’s Stolen Dress That Returned Years Later

One of Marilyn Monroe’s most iconic gowns vanished mysteriously, disappearing into the shadows of Hollywood history. This garment, often regarded as a symbol of glamour and tragedy, slipped away for decades before resurfacing under enigmatic circumstances. Whispers of underground auctions, secret collections, and ghostly legends hint at a fascinating and almost cinematic journey for a dress that once captivated a nation. This article uncovers the intriguing saga of Marilyn Monroe’s stolen dress, tracing its path back into the public eye and exploring its lasting cultural significance.