Tale of Ronin

Mythology

Artwork depicting a humanoid, but decaying and undead figure standing in an unnatural stance.

Magatsuhi no Kami: The Gods of Disaster

Magatsuhi-no-Kami are kami of Japan’s native Shinto belief system. Like other powerful kami, they are treated as a mighty, deity-like force that can directly influence the world on a massive scale. However, Magatsuhi-no-Kami stand out from the crowd by being the kami of disasters. According to the Shinto creation myth, the Magatsuhi-no-Kami—or rather, Yasomagatsuhi-no-Kami, translated …

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An ink-style artwork off a woman standing with a slightly creepy grin. This depicts the Warai-Onna yokai from Japanese Mythology.

Warai-Onna: Japan’s Dangerous Laughing Spirit

Japanese mythology is filled with mysterious and enchanting yokai—spirits, monsters, deities, and unexplained phenomena. Some yokai are more dangerous than others. Despite their unintimidating name, the warai-onna, which literally translates to “laughing woman”, are among the deadliest. Warai-onna are found in the mountains, where woodcutters and travelers supposedly hear them cackling after dark. They take …

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Izanami and Izanagi: Shinto’s Creation Story

Most belief systems have a creation myth, and Shinto, Japan’s native belief system, is no exception. The Shinto creation myth focuses on Izanami-no-Mikoto and Izanagi-no-Mikoto, a pair of brother and sister kami who appeared after heaven and earth separated from chaos. They created the Japanese islands using a jeweled spear to stir the ocean. Izanami …

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A black, ink style, drawing of a giant spider with a woman's body erecting from the front. This artwork depicts a Jorogumo, a yokai creature of Japanese lore.

Jorogumo: Japan’s Man-Eating Spider Spirit

Like many other yokai—Japanese spirits, monsters, and supernatural phenomena—the jorogumo is connected to a real animal. The jorogumo spider, known as the Joro spider internationally, is a species of golden orb-weaver spider. It’s usually small and timid. Most specimens reach only a few centimeters in length. However, their bodies are colorful, their webs are strong, …

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A stylized, ink painting like, piece of concept artwork. It depicts a man dressed in Japanese edo-period style clothing, with a long stick, standing with the sky behind him.

Shugendo: Japan’s Ancient Tradition of Mountain Asceticism

Shugendo is a religion that originates between the late Heian (794–1185) and Kamakura (1185–1333) periods. This ancient ascetic tradition flourished at a time when Buddhism was being imported from China. Combined with the appreciation for art in the Japanese imperial court, the arrival of organized religion and literacy allowed Shugendo to make its mark. The …

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An ink-blot stylized image of an Oni, or Japanese demon, standing with horns and angular physical features.

Oni: The Fierce Japanese Demon

An oni is a type of yokai, supernatural creatures, monsters, and spirits, found in Japanese mythology. While many other entities that fall under the yokai umbrella can be benevolent, oni are almost always malicious and violent. Typical folkloric depictions show oni as having horns, red or blue skin, sharp claws, and wearing tiger skins. They …

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