Said to inhabit the depths of Lake Ikeda, Issie is Japan's answer to Nessie. Legends of a mythical creature in the lake have been swirling for centuries. In 1978 a tourist snapped a series of photos that made Issie headline news. While scanning the lake in the aftermath of an initial sighting, he quickly took a series of photographs. One of the photos seems to show two humps with spinal ridges.Icelandic elves may be petite; they may be mild; and they may be myths, but they are a valued constituency. Government officials have rerouted a road in order to avoid disturbing rock believed to shelter elves. Polls indicate that most local residents won't rule out their existence. Children have reported encounters with the wee race, but so have some adults.