Mummified 'Dragon' in Japan’s Shosoin Treasure House Revealed as Japanese Marten

In a twist that could make even a shogun chuckle, researchers have unraveled the enigma of a so-called mummified dragon tucked away in Japan’s historic Shosoin Treasure House in Nara. This peculiar relic, discovered in 1429 by Yoshinori Ashikaga, a 15th-century shogun, was long whispered to be a mythical beast. But science has spoken, and the verdict is delightfully mundane: it’s no dragon, but a Japanese marten, a fluffy, weasel-like creature native to Japan’s central and southern regions.

The tale begins with Ashikaga, who, while visiting the grand Todai-ji temple, reportedly sliced a piece of rare agarwood, known as Ranjatai. Soon after, a monk spotted a sun-dried, dragon-shaped oddity. Ashikaga, perhaps with a flair for the dramatic, preserved the find, cementing its legend. Fast-forward to today, and modern tech—x-ray scans and radiocarbon dating—reveals the truth: this “dragon” is a marten from the 11th or 12th century, likely trapped during temple renovations and naturally mummified. Its missing forelegs gave it an eerie, dragon-like silhouette, fueling centuries of myth.

Adding to the lore, legend claims rain pours whenever the skeleton’s repository is opened. True to form, researchers battling heavy downpours to reach Nara couldn’t help but smirk at the coincidence. Mami Tsuru, a conservationist at Shosoin, confirms the mummy matches historical records from the Muromachi Period, proving the treasure house’s knack for preserving not just beauty, but oddities too.

This discovery reminds us how easily imagination can outpace reality, turning a humble marten into a dragon of lore. Yet, there’s something poetic about a creature so ordinary sparking such extraordinary tales.