Din Ink

Heikegani is a species of crab native to Japan, with a shell that bears a pattern resembling a human face. According to Japanese folklore, the Heikegani crabs contain the souls of the Heike samurai warriors who were slain at the Battle of Dan-no-ura in 1185 AD, a war over the Japanese imperial throne. The story goes that the Heike samurai, reincarnated into the Heikegani (Heikeposis japonica) crab, were showing their allegiance to their clan by donning a fierce mask on their shells. The battle of Dan-no-ura (Dannoura), immortalized in the Heike Monogatari (the Tale of Heike,) was a pivotal moment in Japan’s history, which established the first shogunate (military dictatorship) and resulted in the death of a child emperor