Kawa-no-Kami

Kawa no kami (河の神 or 川之神), also known as Kahaku (河伯) is a river deity in Japanese mythology. He is king of the river gods.

The line with this, kami is not mentioned in classical text. The Man'yōshū does however include poems indicating that Kawa no kami serves the emperor. Kawa no kami is mentioned in the Nihon Shoki. Legend has it that kappa is a representation of him.

Etymology
The god goes by the name "Kawa no kami". It is also known as "Kahaku", a name that is believed to be inspired by the Chinese god of the Yellow River, Hebo. Both names are considered generic terms for a god of rivers or streams. The same is applicable to Korea's Habaek (see Habaek's etymology).

Worship
Many sources show that people offered human sacrifice to Kawa no kami. In earlier times, when rivers were in flood, people would offer human sacrifice to please Kawa no kami. With the introduction of Buddhism this practice ended. This led people to use dolls made of flowers or straw as offerings to Kawa no kami instead. This is still practiced today in some parts of Japan.

In popular culture
Kawa no kami is a minor character in the 2001 animated movie Spirited Away. There is a scene where Kawa no kami goes to the bath house. He is filled with trash which gives him the appearance of a stinking spirit. This led staff to be hesitant to clean him. When Chiriro is asked to clean Kawa no Kami, she discovers something sticking out of Kawa no kami's side. She decides to pull it out. The other staff then helps Chihiro when they realize he is not a stinking spirit but a river spirit filled with pollutants. Many have said the scene represents themes about environmental issues.