What is a Japanese dragon?
Q: What is a Japanese dragon?
A: A Japanese dragon, also known as ryū or tatsu, is a mythical animal from Japan that resembles a big, fantastic serpent and is related to the Chinese lóng and the Korean yong.
Q: How do Japanese dragons look like?
A: Japanese dragons look similar to serpents, do not have wings, have legs with claws, and can be found in the ocean, clouds, or heavens. They have only three toes, instead of the lóng's five or the yong's four.
Q: Where do Japanese dragons usually live?
A: Japanese dragons usually live in the sea because Japan is an island, and the sea is present in most of its geography.
Q: What is the origin of the Japanese dragon?
A: Ryū originated from China and is one of the four creatures from heavens of Japanese mythology - the other three are the phoenix, turtle, and tiger.
Q: What is the role of the Japanese dragon in Japanese culture?
A: The Japanese dragon has often been the symbol of the Emperor or of a hero in Japanese culture.
Q: How is the Japanese dragon different from the Chinese one?
A: Japanese dragons do not fly as often as Chinese ones, which is the reason why they usually appear much more like serpents.
Q: What are the other creatures from heavens of Japanese mythology?
A: The other creatures from heavens of Japanese mythology are the phoenix, turtle, and tiger.
