Owl is "fukuro" in Japanese. Where did this word originate?

There appear to be several theories. One is that its feathers are "puffed out," or "fukureta" in Japanese. Another is that it had to do with the bird's characteristic hoot, the Japanese onomatopoeia of which is "hou hou."

There also is the assumption that the word derives from the old Japanese expression "hirukakurofu," meaning "hiding during the day."

Until the Edo Period (1603-1867), the owl was apparently considered spooky and sinister. However, it is quite popular today and called the "sage of........

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