Kami Amaterasu, one of the central kami in the Shinto faith Kami (Japanese: 神?) are the spirits or phenomena that are worshipped in the religion of Shinto. They are elements in nature, animals, creationary forces in the universe, as well as spirits of the revered deceased. Etymology[edit] Some etymological suggestions are: Gender is also not implied in the word Kami, and as such it can be used to reference either male or female. History[edit] While Shinto has no founder, no overarching doctrine, and no religious texts, the Kojiki (the Ancient Chronicles of Japan), written in 712 CE, and the Nihonshoki (Chronicles of Japan), written in 720 CE, contain the earliest record of Japanese creation myths. In the ancient Shinto traditions there were 5 defining characteristics of Kami.[13] Kami are of two minds. Kami are an ever-changing concept, but their presence in Japanese life has remained constant. The pantheon of Kami, like the Kami themselves, is forever changing in definition and scope.
Shintoshu The Shintōshū (神道集?) is a Japanese story book in ten volumes believed to date from the Nanboku-chō period (1336–1392).[1] It illustrates with tales about various shrines the Buddhist honji suijaku theory, according to which Japanese kami were simply local manifestations of the Indian gods of Buddhism. This theory, created and developed mostly by Tendai monks, was never systematized, but was nonetheless very pervasive and very influential.[2] The book had thereafter great influence over literature and the arts.[1] History[edit] The book is believed to have been written during the late Nanboku-chō period, either during the Bunna or the Enbun era.[3] It carries the note Agui-saku (安居院作?, made by Agui) but who exactly wrote it is unclear. The common point of the tales is that, before reincarnating as tutelary kami of an area, a soul has first to be born and suffer there as a human being. The book had a great impact on the literature and arts of the following centuries. References[edit]
JAPANESE MYTH If this is the first visit for you, please read THE UNDERWORLD first, then keep clicking the 'Previous' button. This is the Japanese gods family!THE FAMILY TREE OF GODS Some people say that Japanese myth has a lot in common with the myth of other countries including Greece. Is this just a coincidence? Or people in two different countries had the same thought? HOMEPAGESThe Encyclopedia MYTHICA Japanese section is amazing! Japanese mythology Japanese myths, as generally recognized in the mainstream today, are based on the Kojiki, the Nihon Shoki, and some complementary books. The Kojiki, or "Record of Ancient Matters", is the oldest surviving account of Japan's myths, legends and history. The Shintōshū describes the origins of Japanese deities from a Buddhist perspective, while the Hotsuma Tsutae records a substantially different version of the mythology. One notable feature of Japanese mythology is its explanation of the origin of the imperial family which has been used historically to assign godhood to the imperial line. Note: Japanese is not transliterated consistently across all sources, see: #Spelling of proper nouns Creation myth[edit] In the Japanese creation myth, the first deities which came into existence, appearing at the time of the creation of the universe, are collectively called Kotoamatsukami. Kuniumi and Kamiumi[edit] From their union were born the Ōyashima, or the eight great islands of Japan:
Shinto Shinto priest and priestess. Shinto (神道, Shintō?), also kami-no-michi,[note 1] is the indigenous religion of Japan and the people of Japan.[2] It is defined as an action-centered religion,[3] focused on ritual practices to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present-day Japan and its ancient past.[4] Founded in 660 BC according to Japanese mythology,[5] Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written historical records of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki in the 8th century. Still, these earliest Japanese writings do not refer to a unified "Shinto religion", but rather to a collection of native beliefs and mythology.[6] Shinto today is a term that applies to the religion of public shrines devoted to the worship of a multitude of gods (kami),[7] suited to various purposes such as war memorials and harvest festivals, and applies as well to various sectarian organizations. According to Inoue (2003): Types of Shinto Shrine Shinto (神社神道, Jinja-Shintō?) Kami
Japanese Folktales selected and edited by D. L. Ashliman © 1998-2008 Contents Return to D. The Two Frogs Once upon a time in the country of Japan there lived two frogs, one of whom made his home in a ditch near the town of Osaka, on the sea coast, while the other dwelt in a clear little stream which ran through the city of Kyoto. So one fine morning in the spring they both set out along the road that led from Kyoto to Osaka, one from one end and the other from the other. They looked at each other for a moment without speaking, and then fell into conversation, explaining the cause of their meeting so far from their homes. "What a pity we are not bigger," said the Osaka frog; "for then we could see both towns from here, and tell if it is worth our while going on." "Oh, that is easily managed," returned the Kyoto frog. This idea pleased the Osaka frog so much that he at once jumped up and put his front paws on the shoulder of his friend, who had risen also. "Dear me!" The Mirror of Matsuyama Source: F. "Buried!"
Japanese calligraphy Japanese calligraphy (書道, shodō?) is a form of calligraphy, or artistic writing, of the Japanese language. For a long time, the most esteemed calligrapher in Japan had been Wang Xizhi, a Chinese calligrapher in the 4th century, but after the invention of Hiragana and Katakana, the Japanese unique syllabaries, the distinctive Japanese writing system developed and calligraphers produced styles intrinsic to Japan. Techniques[edit] Japanese calligraphy shares its roots with Chinese calligraphy and many of its principles and techniques are very similar and recognizes the same basic writing styles: Tools[edit] A traditional inkstone to grind ink and water against. A typical brush used for calligraphy. In modern calligraphy, a number of tools are utilized to make a composition. An inkstick (墨, sumi?). During preparation, water is poured into the inkstone and the inkstick is ground against it, mixing the water with the dried ink to liquefy it. History[edit] Chinese roots[edit] Heian Period[edit]
Kaszarob added: Japanese Ghosts By Namiko Abe It's Halloween time! Like many other western customs (Christmas, Valentine's Day etc.), the Japanese easily adopt it, especially for commercial purposes. There are pumpkins displayed at the stores, and some people wear costumes and go to parties. However, there is no real custom for Halloween in Japan. I never experienced "Trick or Treating" with a cute costume when I was little... Click this link to learn about Japanese Halloween Vocabulary. I will tell you about Japanese ghosts, though the Japanese ghost is usually a thing of summer. Obake, Bakemono Literally means, "transforming thing." Yuurei According to Shinto beliefs, all people have a soul called "reikon." Many yuurei are female ghosts who suffered badly in life from love, jealousy, sorrow, or regret. The Story of Okiku Here is one of the famous yuurei stories "Bancho Sara-yashiki (The Story of Okiku)" in Japanese and English. お菊は青山鉄山の家に、女中として働いて いました。 Romaji Translation English Translation Vocabulary
REFLEXION BUJINKAN | Les réflexions d'un Shidoshi-Hô Kaszarob added: Japanese Monsters - Youkai By Namiko Abe There are a few terms to describe Japanese ghosts. I have introduced "obake" and "yuurei" in my article, "Japanese Ghosts". In this article I will tell you about "youkai," and look at the characters for them. Youkai literally means, "bewitching apparition." They include monsters, goblins, and ghouls. Here are some youkai. Oni Oni, demons or ogres, are one of the most famous youkai. On Setsubun (Feb. 3rd), there is a custom to drive away evil sprits. Here are some expressions including oni. Kappa Kappa are supernatural creatures which live both on land and in water. Although kappa harm people sometimes, there are also many tales where they have helped people. They are very curious. Kappa love sumo wrestling and cucumbers. Rokurokubi Female monsters with long, flexible necks. Yuki-Onna A snow woman, appears in a white kimono on a stormy night. Hitotsume-Kozou A one-eyed goblin, literally has a large eye in the center of its face. Tengu Tengu is also a youkai.
Omoté-Ura, Yin-Yang - AikiAutrement Contrairement à ce que l’on pourrait penser, les notions de omoté et ura , ne sont pas réservées aux techniques d’aïkido ou à son vocabulaire. La philosophie et les sciences antiques, nous placent en face d’une pelote de laquelle il n’est pas aisé de tirer les fils pour en démêler le sens : les différents constituants, pris isolement sont très simples, la complexité réside en un ensemble d’interaction et d’interdépendance. Omoté et Ura sont intimement liés à la théorie du Yin /Yang qui découle de celle du Ki (Qi) et du Do (Tao). Dans la société japonaise. Omoté et Ura qui désignent respectivement l’endroit - le recto - et l’envers- le verso- ce sont des termes qui caractérisent la double structure de la mentalité japonaise : la façade (Tatamaé) – principe de convenance sociale - et la vérité individuelle (Honné). Le côté « envers », ura, est le plus important, il a un caractère formel et codifié, c’est ce que l’on ne dit pas officiellement mais c’est ce qu’il faut comprendre.