Vengeful ghosts are a staple of Japanese folklore. The most famous and the most culturally-relevant today is the onryo, a vicious ghost that indiscriminately curses those unfortunate enough to be near the spirit or the subject of its revenge. And among onryo, the most famous is probably the ancient samurai known as Taira no Masakado. …
Taira no Masakado: Japan’s Most Famous Vengeful Ghost Read More »
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 …
A miko, also known as a shrine maiden, is a woman who serves the Shinto kami. Their origins date back to the prehistoric Jomon period (approximately 10,500 BCE-300 BCE) in Japan. The responsibilities and requirements to become a miko have gone through many changes over the years. However, their traditional red hakama, white kosode, and …
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 …