For centuries, the Japanese held in awe a peculiar mummified creature, believed to be a mermaid, revered for its purported gift of immortality. The legendary mermaid was allegedly captured between 1736 and 1741 in the depths of the Pacific Ocean near Japan’s picturesque island of Shikoku. Entrusted to the safekeeping of a temple in the city of Asakuchi, this mermaid mummy became an object of worship, as people sought its mythical powers.

Throughout history, the mummified mermaid was venerated by the Japanese populace, seeking its mystical properties. Remarkably, even in recent times, during the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, the mermaid mummy became a symbol of protection against the virulent virus that originated in Wuhan, China. Desperate for health and well-being, people turned to the mermaid mummy for solace and believed in its ability to ward off sickness.

While the Japanese held the mermaid mummy in reverence, the scientific community approached it with skepticism. Scientists suspected that the mummified mermaid was a cleverly devised hoax, ingeniously fabricated to resemble a mythical sea creature. Skeptics proposed that the fishtail was ingeniously grafted onto the body of a primate, a cunning deception.

In their quest to uncover the truth behind the enigmatic mermaid mummy, scientists decided to subject the artifact to rigorous testing. The sample was carefully extracted from its sacred resting place within the temple and transported to a cutting-edge research facility. The initial step involved a comprehensive CT scan, designed to unravel the composition and authenticity of the artifact.

Hiroshi Kinoshita, a distinguished member of the Okayama Folklore Society, led the investigation. The team was astounded by the startling revelations that emerged during the meticulous analysis of the peculiar sample. Their findings revealed that the mummified mermaid was, in fact, a skillful fabrication composed of cloth, paper, and cotton, meticulously adorned with various fish components.

Kinoshita elaborated, “One would naturally assume that it is an amalgamation of a fish’s lower body and an ape’s upper body. However, our survey results unequivocally debunk this notion. The lower half is undoubtedly fish-like, but the upper half defies the mammalian classification.”

Although the creature’s appearance suggests a primate or ape-like figure, it is intriguing to note that its composition predominantly comprises human-made materials such as cloth and paper. Additionally, the researchers discovered that the mummified mermaid’s arms, shoulders, cheeks, and neck were ingeniously crafted from pufferfish skin. The hair was sourced from a mammal, while the nails were meticulously fashioned from animal keratin. Intriguingly, the creature’s jaws originated from an unidentified carnivorous fish species. Notably, the mermaid lacked an internal skeleton, but the CT scan did expose the presence of metal needles in the back of its neck and lower body, presumably used to secure the various components together.

The bottom half of the mermaid mummy was cleverly constructed using scales from a croaker fish, imparting an authentic appearance. To complete the illusion, the surface of the creature was meticulously adorned with a mixture of charcoal powder, skillfully applied to create a lifelike texture.

In their relentless pursuit of truth, the scientific community subjected the Japanese mermaid mummy to an array of tests. In addition to the comprehensive CT scan, the artifact underwent X-ray imaging, fluorescent X-ray analysis, DNA analysis, and radiocarbon dating. Each meticulous examination served to reaffirm that the mummified mermaid was, indeed, an artfully crafted hoax, intricately designed to captivate and mystify.

As we delve into the mysteries of our world, we uncover tales that captivate our imaginations. The mermaid mummy, a captivating enigma that endured for centuries, now reveals its secrets, shedding light on the ingenuity and creativity of those who crafted this mythical artifact.