English Version
Published: October 19, 2019. Updated: February 16, 2020.
Unlike many other UMAs, or mysterious creatures, Kesaran Pasaran has an unusually large number of reported sightings. It is usually described as a white, cotton-like object—or perhaps a living thing—that floats gently down from the sky.
This strange little presence is said to bring happiness, and its history is surprisingly old. Reports of similar phenomena appear not only in Japan, but also in the West. So what is Kesaran Pasaran really? Let’s take a closer look at this soft, drifting mystery.
A well-known UMA with a long history
Despite its unusual sound, Kesaran Pasaran is considered a Japanese name. There are several theories about where it came from. Some say it is related to the Spanish phrase que sera, sera. Others connect it to Sanskrit, or to dialect from Japan’s Tohoku region.
There is also a theory that a term appearing in the Edo-period encyclopedia Wakan Sansai Zue, often romanized as heisarabasara, may refer to the same thing. Whatever its origin, Kesaran Pasaran has a long and curious pedigree among Japan’s mysterious beings.
Known in the West as Angel Hair
Similar phenomena have also been reported in Western countries. In English-speaking areas, they are often called Angel Hair or Gossamer, and they are treated as mysterious, almost life-like substances.
Some American accounts claim that when this strange material is captured, it turns jelly-like and disappears. If true, that would make it feel even more like a genuine UMA than an ordinary natural object.
Can Kesaran Pasaran be kept as a pet?
According to Japanese folklore, Kesaran Pasaran can supposedly be kept and cared for. One tradition says that if you place it in a paulownia-wood powder box and feed it face powder, it will grow larger.
In other words, within the legend, Kesaran Pasaran is not just a bit of fluff. It is treated as an individual living creature.
What could Kesaran Pasaran really be?
So what is its true identity? Several theories have been suggested.
The plant fluff theory
Many people believe Kesaran Pasaran is simply the fluffy seed material used by plants to spread on the wind. Dandelions are an obvious example, and loquat trees are also sometimes mentioned.
This is probably the most common explanation.
The winged insect theory
Yasushi Inoue’s autobiographical novel Shirobamba features something called shirobamba, which closely resembles the image of Kesaran Pasaran. In that case, its identity is said to be a type of winged insect known as a snow bug.
This is also considered one of the stronger theories.
The undigested animal hair theory
Birds of prey such as hawks and eagles sometimes cough up undigested animal hair. One theory suggests that this material may be the source of Kesaran Pasaran sightings.
It would certainly look like soft hair or cotton falling from the sky.
The mineral theory
Another candidate is okenite, a mineral with the chemical formula Ca10Si18O46·18H2O. Although it is a stone, okenite can have a white, fuzzy appearance that looks almost like a ball of fluff.
Unfortunately, it is not light enough to float through the air, but it remains one of the more unusual theories.
The UMA theory
There are many possible explanations, but some parts of the legend are harder to dismiss neatly. Kesaran Pasaran is said to be keepable, and even to grow. That suggests a separate living thing rather than ordinary plant fluff or animal hair.
Western Angel Hair accounts also include claims that the substance turns into jelly and vanishes, which does not sound much like simple seed fluff or fur.
A mystery that is charming because it remains unknown
In the end, the true identity of Kesaran Pasaran remains a mystery. But that mystery may be exactly what gives it its charm.
Perhaps that is why it has long been treated as a lucky charm, a strange little bringer of happiness drifting in from the sky. Kesaran Pasaran may be less about proof and more about wonder: a dreamlike creature imagined by the human heart.
Japanese Language
他のUMAと違いその目撃例が圧倒的に多いのが、幸せを呼ぶ ケセラン・パサラン。。その姿は、空からふわふわと漂ってくる白い綿毛状の謎の物体もしくは生命体。そんなケセラン・パサランは歴史も長く、洋の東西を問わずに目撃例が絶たないUMAです。その正体は、一体何なのか？！！。今回は、そんなケセラン・パサランの正体に迫っていきましょう。。公開日：2019年10月19日 更新日：2020年2月16日 。歴史も古く知名度も高いケセラン・パサラン。。まずはケセラン・パサランの基礎知識を見ていきましょう。
歴史の古いUMA。。ケセラン・パサランは、その名前からは想像も付きませんが日本固有の名前。その由来は、スペイン語の「ケ・セラ・セラ」という説や梵語由来の説、東北弁由来の説と様々。しかし中には江戸時代の本草学書（今でいう百科事典）「和漢三才図会」にある、「へいさらばさら」こそがケセラン・パサランだという説もあります。どちらにしても、かなり由緒正しいUMAです。西洋ではAngel Hairと呼ばれている。。実はこのケセラン・パサラン、西洋にもその存在は確認されています。
英語圏では「Angel Hair（エンゼル・ヘアー）」「Gossamer（ゴッサマー）」と呼ばれていて、同じく謎の生命体のような扱いになっています。しかもアメリカのケセラン・パサランは捕獲したとたんゼリー状になって消えてしまうとか。まさにUMAです。ケセラン・パサランは飼育可能。。日本の伝承によれば、ケセラン・パサランは飼育可能なUMA。桐でできたおしろい箱の中に入れておけば、おしろいを餌に大きくなるとも言われています。つまり、伝承においてはケセラン・パサランは間違いなく単独の生物なのです。
ケセラン・パサランの正体とは。。ではその正体とは一体何なのか。綿毛説。。植物の種を飛ばす綿毛。これこそがケセラン・パサランだと主張する人は多く、一般にはこれが正体だと言われています。たんぽぽやびわなどがその代表です。羽虫説。。井上靖の自伝的小説「しろばんば」。この、タイトルにもなっているしろばんばこそ、まさにケセラン・パサランのようなもので、その正体は雪虫という羽虫です。これも有力説とされています。未消化の動物の毛説。。タカやワシなどの猛禽類が、未消化の獣の毛を吐き出すことがあります。
一説にはこれをケセラン・パサランという説もあるのです。確かに空から降ってくる綿のような毛ではあります。鉱物説。。オケナイト、もしくはオーケン石（Ca10Si18O46・18H2O）という鉱物。この鉱物は石にもかかわらず綿毛を持ち、ふわふわとした毛玉のような見た目をしています。残念ながら飛ぶほどは軽くありませんが、一つの説として存在します。UMA説。。様々な説がありますが、ケセラン・パサランの伝承には「飼育可能」「成長する」というものもあります。
つまり、それは単独の生物。しかも、西洋のエンゼル・ヘアーなどは、ゼリー状になって消失するという証言もあり、綿毛や獣の毛とは考えにくいものです。正体不明だからこそ魅力を感じるUMA。。ケセラン・パサランの正体は、言ってしまえば謎です。しかし、この謎であるといいうことこそがケセラン・パサランの魅力であり、だからこそ幸運を呼ぶというラッキーチャーム的な存在であると言っていいでしょう。そう、つまり謎だからいいのです。それはいうなれば、人間が心に描く夢の生物と言ってもいいでしょう
