Uncovering the Mystery of the Mermaid Mummy Worshipped for 40 Years in Japan

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A mystery that has puzzled Japan for the past 40 years has finally been solved. Recently, a mermaid princess mummy that had been worshipped for decades at the Enju-in temple in Asakuchi City, Japan, was discovered to be a human-made artifact.

Mermaid mummy at Enjuin shrine Japan (Asahi Shimbun screenshot)

Shaped like a furry primate with a scaly fish-like tail and human-like hands, the mermaid princess mummy had attracted many visitors who came to worship it. However, the latest analysis by experts has proven that the artifact is just a human-made replica.

Japanese Mermaid Princess Mummy Revealed as a Human-Made Artifact

Scientists have finally uncovered the mystery surrounding an artifact of a mermaid princess mummy worshipped for the past 40 years in Japan. The mermaid princess mummy was believed to be an ancient artifact dating back centuries.

However, the latest analysis has proven that the mermaid princess mummy is just a human-made artifact. The artifact is shaped like a furry primate with a scaly fish-like tail and human-like hands. It was believed to be an ancient artifact dating back centuries and was kept at the Enju-in temple in Asakuchi City, Japan.

The Process of Analyzing the Mermaid Princess Mummy: Uncovering a Centuries-Old Artifact

Scientists at the Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts (KUSA) collaborated with the Enju-in temple in Asakuchi City, Japan, since February 2022 to analyze an artifact in the form of a mermaid princess mummy worshipped for 40 years. KUSA and the temple worked together to non-destructively examine the artifact to reveal its construction.

The examination was conducted using visual methods, X-ray imaging, CT scans, optical and electron microscopes, X-ray fluorescence analysis, DNA analysis, and radiocarbon dating. After the analysis was completed, it was revealed that the artifact was not a living creature or animal but just a human-made replica.

Not a Mummy but a Human-Made Artifact: The Uniqueness of the Ningyo Artifact from Japanese Mythology

The analysis results from KUSA and the Enju-in temple revealed that the mermaid princess mummy was just a human-made artifact. The artifact is in the form of a ningyo, a fish-like creature in Japanese mythology, made from cotton fabric, paper, a mixture of charcoal or sand powder with paste, as well as animal fur and fish skin.

The artifact also features jaws from carnivorous fish and nails made from animal keratin or horns. The artifact still holds a mystery as a remnant of human history from ancient times.

Unique Artifact as a Remnant of Human History from Ancient Times

The artifact in the form of a mermaid princess mummy worshipped for 40 years at the Enju-in temple turned out not to be a mummy but just a human-made artifact. Nevertheless, the artifact is still interesting to study as a remnant of human history from ancient times. At the Enju-in temple, there are also other artifacts in the form of ningyo that date back to the Edo period.

The analysis process of the artifact was non-destructive, using various methods such as visual methods, X-ray imaging, CT scans, optical and electron microscopes, X-ray fluorescence analysis, DNA analysis, and radiocarbon dating. The unique artwork of the ningyo is a manifestation of Japanese mythology and proof that humans have valued and paid attention to art since ancient times.