“Toad sage,” also known as Kosensei. An elderly man with a warty hairless skin, he is said to live forever, able to change himself into a toad. He is one of the immortal sages, of Chinese Daoist origin, who are associated with longevity and medicine. Gama-sennin’s constant companion is a three-legged toad, whom he often carries on his hand or back. He is also the creator and manufacturer of magical pills, and whomsoever manages to secure them is able to extend his lifetime. Gama-sennin himself sheds his skin like a toad, and thus renews himself as necessary. The adoption of the immortals concept from Daoist origins was done unsystematically in Japan, and without much of the philosophical-popular basis that formed the origin of these ideas in China. Gama-sennin is one of the most popular of these figures, often depicted in carvings and drawings.
SEE ALSO:
REFERENCES:
- Joly, Henri L. 1967. Legend in Japanese Art. Tokyo: Charles E. Tuttle Co.
SOURCE:
Handbook of Japanese Mythology written by Michael Ashkenazi – Copyright © 2003 by Michael Ashkenazi