SORA NEWS




 

In these trying times, no one can be blamed for trying to get as much help as possible to keep safe from coronavirus, even if it’s from a mythical yokai.

Since last month, numerous images of the yokai, or supernatual spirit, known as Amabie have been popping up on the Japanese Internet. As some of our readers may be aware, yokai are Japanese demons and monsters with magical and sometimes sinister powers, that have been a part of Japanese folklore for centuries.

Luckily for us in this case, Amabie’s powers are far from sinister.  Legend has it that in 1846, Amabie appeared from the ocean in present-day Kumamoto Prefecture in Southern Japan in a half-human-half-fish form resembling a mermaid and declared, “If a disease spreads, draw my likeness and show it to the people.”  

As the Japanese public caught on to the existence of such a helpful yokai, an increasing number of Amabie illustrations have understandably been posted on Twitter.
 

▼ Even Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has shared an image of Amabie on their official Twitter account, incorporating the yokai into a “Stop COVID-19” logo while asking for everyone’s cooperation in preventing the spread of the disease.


 

Now, the yokai is being shared not just as an image, but in a more substantial form — as an edible creation! That’s right, popular sweets maker Ikumi Mama Animal Doughnuts have come up with an adorable doughnut version of the mythical Amabie.
 

▼ Normally, these are what Ikumi Mama’s doughnuts look like






▼ And here are the new Amabie doughnuts that have been created in the hopes the pandemic will come to an end as swiftly as possible:



 

As you can see, Amabie’s characteristic protruding beak and scales have been drawn in using a chocolate pen, and the doughnut also has three fins created with almonds. As for the vibrant colors, the pink chocolate covering the upper part of the doughnut is strawberry flavored, while the lower, purple portion is covered with white chocolate infused with purple sweet potato (murasaki-imo) powder.

▼ Ikumi Mama have even posted a video featuring the Amabie doughnut on their YouTube channel.

https://youtu.be/Rlp3gbtxIJI

And if you’re based in Japan but not close to one of their shops, you can order the Amabie doughnuts online at a price of 1,300 yen (US$12) for a pack of three, so you won’t have to miss out on the sweet yokai action.

We, for one, love the doughnuts as an excellent way to keep our blood sugar levels sufficiently high during these stressful times, and hope they also can somehow help to keep the dreaded pandemic away.