Shintai Mount Fuji is Japan's most famous shintai. In Shinto, shintai (神体, "body of the kami"), or go-shintai (御神体, "sacred body of the kami") when the honorific prefix go- is used, are physical objects worshipped at or near Shinto shrines as repositories in which spirits or kami reside.[1] Shintai used in Shrine Shinto (Jinja Shinto) can be also called mitamashiro (御霊代, "spirit replacement" or "substitute").[1] In spite of what their name may suggest, shintai are not themselves part of kami, but rather just temporary repositories which make them accessible to human beings for worship.[2] Shintai are also of necessity yorishiro, that is objects by their very nature capable of attracting kami. Description[edit] Famous shintai include the mirror (part of the Imperial Regalia of Japan), Mount Miwa, Mount Nantai, the Nachi Falls, and the Meoto Iwa rocks. A yokozuna, a wrestler at the top of sumo's power pyramid, is a living shintai. See also[edit] Yorishiro Notes[edit] 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? HOMEPAGESThe Encyclopedia MYTHICA Japanese section is amazing! Japanese pearly white identities: Semen, Bukkake, Bodylore I'm researching the materially of semen in Asia and so far I’ve found out some fascinating connections between semen, ancestry, rice, whiteness, and consciousness.I begin with Japanese anthropologist Ohnuki-Tierney's impressive Rice as Self, where she charts the many ways white rice stands for the purity and superiority of the Japanese race, the pearly radiance of the skin, the positive energy of deities, money, and the origin of semen and breast milk. She also reminds us how each grain of rice is considered within Shintoism an individual spirit whose consumption rejuvenates humans and gives them a soul. Jump to our own tradition: Revelation 21:21: “The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl!” In the 2008 remake of The Day The Earth Stood Still, pearly sphere-gates come out of the ground and, like semen, carry life to its new home. Considering liquids are naturally spherical, pearls appear like drops of semen. Japanese people love shirako, fish semen.
Kojiki Kojiki (古事記?, "Record of Ancient Matters") is the oldest extant chronicle in Japan, dating from the early 8th century (711–712) and composed by Ō no Yasumaro at the request of Empress Gemmei.[1] The Kojiki is a collection of myths concerning the origin of the four home islands of Japan, and the Kami. Along with the Nihon Shoki, the myths contained in the Kojiki are part of the inspiration behind Shinto practices and myths, including the misogi purification ritual.[2][3][4][5] Structure[edit] The Kojiki contains various songs/poems. While the historical records and myths are written in a form of Chinese with a heavy mixture of Japanese elements, the songs are written with Chinese characters that are only used to convey sounds. Sections[edit] The Kojiki is divided into three parts: the Kamitsumaki (上巻, "first volume"?) The Kamitsumaki, also known as the Kamiyo no Maki (神代巻? Study of the Kojiki[edit] In the Edo period, Motoori Norinaga studied the Kojiki intensively. Manuscripts[edit]
The Book of Tea by Kakuzo Okakura Sacred-Texts Buddhism Taoism Shinto I. The Cup of Humanity Tea began as a medicine and grew into a beverage. The Philosophy of Tea is not mere aestheticism in the ordinary acceptance of the term, for it expresses conjointly with ethics and religion our whole point of view about man and nature. The long isolation of Japan from the rest of the world, so conducive to introspection, has been highly favourable to the development of Teaism. The outsider may indeed wonder at this seeming much ado about nothing. Those who cannot feel the littleness of great things in themselves are apt to overlook the greatness of little things in others. When will the West understand, or try to understand, the East? Why not amuse yourselves at our expense? Such misconceptions are fast vanishing amongst us. Perhaps I betray my own ignorance of the Tea Cult by being so outspoken. Let us stop the continents from hurling epigrams at each other, and be sadder if not wiser by the mutual gain of half a hemisphere. V.
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!"
Découvrez l’haïku, cette forme de poésie minimaliste qui cristallise toute la sagesse de la culture japonaise Le genre poétique du haïku a moins de quatre cents ans, mais ses racines sont bien plus anciennes et remontent à l’arrivée du bouddhisme au Japon amenant les premières ramifications de la poésie japonaise. Éternellement associé à l’oeuvre de Basho au XVIIe siècle, le haïku fut ensuite popularisé par Shiki au XIXe siècle avant de conquérir le coeur des artistes occidentaux avec l’ouverture de l’archipel au reste du monde. L’époque de Heian (794 – 1185) est capitale pour la majorité des arts japonais, car elle se caractérise par une période de paix où le Japon reçoit l’influence chinoise et développe sa propre culture. C’est à ce moment qu’apparaissent les poèmes en trois vers, avec respectivement cinq, sept et cinq syllabes. Le premier verset du haïkaï respectait les cinq, sept et cinq syllabes, mais était suivi d’un second passage de quatorze syllabes et d’un dernier de dix-sept. Un vieil étang Une grenouille plonge Le bruit de l’eau
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. 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 Okiku wa Aoyama Tessan no ie ni, jochuu to shite hataraite imashita. English Translation Vocabulary
Le pèlerinage de Shikoku, une pratique pas si inhabituelle / Pen Magazine International Bien connue des Japonais pour son pèlerinage aux 88 temples, l’île méridionale de Shikoku intéresse de plus en plus les voyageurs étrangers. Sauvage, parcourue par d’immenses forêts, l’île vaut la peine d’être apprivoisée. Le pèlerinage de Shikoku est consacré à Kobo Daishi, aussi appelé Kukai, qui a créé la branche Shingon du bouddhisme japonais. On dit qu’il accompagne chaque pèlerin dans sa marche. Quelques irréductibles perpétuent la tradition du pèlerinage à pied. Les raisons sont multiples. Alors que les pèlerinages sont prisés en Europe où les routes de Saint Jacques de Compostelle ne désemplissent pas, le Japon fait aussi le pari de présenter sa culture sous cet aspect insolite. Cette pratique ne date d’ailleurs pas d’hier car le premier étranger à avoir fait le pèlerinage de Shikoku était l’anthropologue américain Frederick Starr en 1921.
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." 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.
Japanese Aesthetics 1. Introduction Two preliminary observations about the Japanese cultural tradition to begin with. The first is that classical Japanese philosophy understands the basic reality as constant change, or (to use a Buddhist expression) impermanence. The world of flux that presents itself to our senses is the only reality: there is no conception of some stable “Platonic” realm above or behind it. The arts in Japan have traditionally reflected this fundamental impermanence—sometimes lamenting but more often celebrating it. It does not matter how young or strong you may be, the hour of death comes sooner than you expect. In the Japanese Buddhist tradition, awareness of the fundamental condition of existence is no cause for nihilistic despair, but rather a call to vital activity in the present moment and to gratitude for another moment's being granted to us. 2. How is it possible for men not to rejoice each day over the pleasure of being alive? 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Major Deities of Japan Many divinities native to Japanese beliefs and religious traditions are from the Shinto religion, while some are from Buddhism or Taoism. These deities are integrated into Japanese mythology and folklore. Japanese deities are an important aspect in the culture and history of Japan and its people. Here are just a few of the major deities in Japanese mythology: Depiction of Amaterasu emerging from a cave. Amaterasu-ōmikami – the goddess of the sun, she is believed to be the ancestress of the Imperial Household of Japan. Hachiman – the god of war and the divine protector of Japan and its people. A scroll depicting kami Hachiman dressed as a Buddhist monk. Fūjin – the god of wind and one of the oldest Shinto gods. Depiction of Fūjin. Ame-no-Uzume-no-mikoto – the goddess of dawn, mirth, and revelry. Sculpture of Uzume. Japanese Culture