According to Japanese mythology, the Nue is a chimeric yōkai monster with the head of a macaque, the body of a raccoon dog, the limbs of a tiger, and the tail of a snake. The creature is known for its creepy, thrush-like cry of hyo-hyo. The medieval epic The Tale of the Heike claims that, in 1153, the Nue appeared in the Imperial Palace of Kyoto every night to frighten the Emperor, until it was slain by Lord Minamoto no Yorimasa, a master archer.
There are three different alleged tombs for the monster, all named Nuezuka (Nue mound). In Kyoto, it is an ancient tumulus associated with the Nue for unclear reasons. The ones in Ashiya, Hyogo, and Miyakojima Ward, Osaka, are both said to be the burial site of the creature’s corpse that was washed away down a river.
The original “tomb” in Osaka was replaced by a new one in 1870, and restored again by locals in 1957. The site is considered a sort of shrine dedicated to the chimera. It has been well-kept over the years, so as not to incite the wrath of its ghost.
In 1980, the Port of Osaka adopted a unique coat of arms featuring the Nue as if it was a traditional European heraldic animal. A sample of the design can be found on an information plaque beside the burial monument today.
