When looking into ideas to make my witch interesting i looked into Japanese Mythology, this article mainly focuses around a number of Japanese gods, the female gods gave me a few influences into the kimono designs, but this article is to show broad research. The mythology of Japan has a long history dating back more than 2,000 years. It became part of two major religious traditions: shinto, an indigenous religion, and Buddhism, which developed in India and came to Japan from China and Korea.
Japanese mythology includes a vast number of gods, goddesses, and spirits. Most of the stories concern the creation of the world, the foundation of the islands of Japan, and the activities of deities, humans, animals, spirits, and magical creatures. Some myths describe characters and events associated with particular places in Japan. Others are set in legendary locations, such as the heavens or the underworld.
Sources for Japanese Myths
For many centuries myths were transmitted orally in Japan. In A . D . 712, a written version of the mythology, the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters), was compiled for the Japanese imperial court. The tales in the Kojiki tell of the creation of the world, the origin of the gods, and the ancestry of the Japanese emperors, who claimed descent from the sun goddess Amaterasu.
Another early source of Japanese mythology is the Nihongi, or Nihonshoki (Chronicles of Japan). Completed in 720, this work also includes various myths and legends, and it helps establish the genealogy of the imperial family The Nihongi was greatly influenced by Hachiman, one of the most popular gods of Japanese mythology, was the patron of warriors.
Japanese Deities
Amaterasu: goddess of the sun and fertility who brings light to the world
Hachiman: god of warriors, known for his military skill
Inari: god associated with rice and merchants
Izanagi: creator god
Izanami: creator goddess
Kagutsuchi: god of fire
Susano-ô: violent god associated with storms and the sea, Amaterasu's brother
Tsuki-yomi: moon god, Amaterasu's brother
Chinese and Korean history and mythology. Both the Kojiki and the Nihongi contain elements of Taoism, a Chinese religious movement that was introduced to Japan by the 600s.
Top Left: Amaterasu Top Right: Hachiman Second Left: Inari Second Right: Izanagi Third Left: Izanami Third Right: Kagutsuchi Bottom Left: Susano-ô Bottom Right: Tsuki-yomi
Major Deities & Characters
In Japanese mythology, everything in nature has a kami— a deity or spirit. As a result, the Japanese pantheon is enormous, with some sources claiming that there are millions of different spirits and deities. Throughout Japan, local myths and legends tell about the kamt of a particular place, such as a rock, a pair of trees, or a mountain. However, several major deities appear in significant roles in a number of stories from different regions.
The two most important creator deities are Izanagi and his sister Izanami. According to the myths, they made the islands of Japan as well as many of the gods and goddesses. Izanagi and Izanami also appear in a story about a descent to Yomi-tsu Kuni, a land of darkness and death associated with the underworld.
Perhaps the best-known Japanese deity is the sun goddess Amaterasu. Said to be the ancestor of the imperial family, she brings light into the world and is responsible for fertility. Her shrine at Ise is the most important shrine in Japan.
indigenous native to a certain place
deity god or goddess
underworld land of the dead
imperial relating to an emperor or empire
genealogy record of a person's ancestry
pantheon all the gods of a particular culture
Amaterasu has two brothers: the moon god Tsuki-yomi and Susano-ô, a powerful and violent god often associated with storms. Of the two, Susano-ô plays a more important role in mythology, appearing in a number of major legends, including several with Amaterasu.
Ôkuninushi, a descendant of Susano-ô (possibly his son), is a central character in the Izumo Cycle, a series of myths set in the Izumo region of western Japan. Like the heroes in the legends of other cultures, Ôkuninushi has many adventures and undergoes various ordeals.
One of the most popular deities of Japanese mythology is Hachiman, a patron of warriors. The character of Hachiman is based on the emperor Ôjin, who lived in the A . D . 300S and was renowned for his military skills. According to tradition, after Ôjin died he became the god Hachiman. In the 700s, Hachiman became part of the Shinto pantheon.
The god Inari appears in few myths, but he is important because of his association with the growing of rice, the major food crop in Japan. Thought to bring prosperity, Inari is the patron of merchants and sword makers.
Among the many spirits and creatures in Japanese mythology are the tengu, minor deities that are part human and part bird. According to tradition, they live in trees in mountainous areas. The tengu enjoy playing tricks on humans but resent being tricked themselves. They are more mischievous than wicked.
The Oni, a more threatening group of spirits, may have originated in China and traveled to Japan with Buddhism. These horned demons, often of enormous size, can take human or animal shape. Sometimes invisible, the Oni have the ability to steal the souls of humans. They can be very cruel and are associated with various evil forces such as famine and disease.
Japanese mythology also includes other Buddhist deities. In addition to stories about the life of Buddha, many tales concern Amida, the ruler of a paradise called the Pure Land. Kannon, the protector of children and women in childbirth, and Jizô, who rescues souls from hell, are also important Buddhist figures.
Magical Creatures
A group of monkeylike creatures called kappa displays both good and evil qualities in Japanese myth. Associated with water, they live in rivers, ponds, and lakes and carry water in a hollow space on top of their heads. If the water spills, the kappa lose their magical powers. Kappa drink the blood of humans, horses, and cattle. But they also eat cucumbers, and families can avoid being attacked by throwing a cucumber bearing their names into the kappa's watery home.
Among the kappa's good qualities is a tendency to be polite. When they meet someone, they bow, often spilling the water in their heads. They also always keep their promises. In many tales, humans outwit the kappa by forcing them to make promises.
patron special guardian, protector, or supporter
primeval from the earliest times
Izanagi and Izanami then created gods and goddesses of the trees, mountains, valleys, streams, winds, and other natural features of Japan. While giving birth to the fire god Kagutsuchi, Izanami was badly burned. As she lay dying, she produced more gods and goddesses. Other deities emerged from the tears of her grief-stricken husband.
When Izanami died, she went to Yomi-tsu Kuni, the land of darkness and death. Izanagi followed her there and tried to bring her back. But Izanami's body had already begun to decay, and she hid in the shadows and told Izanagi that she could not leave. Izanagi could not resist looking at his beloved wife one last time. When he lit a torch and saw her rotting corpse, he fled in terror. Angry that Izanagi had seen her, Izanami sent hideous spirits to chase him. Izanagi managed to escape, and he sealed off the passage to Yomi-tsu Kuni with a huge boulder. Izanami remained there and ruled over the dead.
Feeling unclean from his contact with the dead, Izanagi decided to bathe in a stream to purify himself. As he undressed, gods and goddesses emerged from his discarded clothing. Others came forth while he washed. Susano-ô came from his nose, Tsuki-yomi emerged from his right eye, and Amaterasu appeared from his left eye. Izanagi divided the world among these three gods. He gave Susano-ô control of the oceans, assigned Tsuki-yomi the realm of the night, and made Amaterasu the ruler of the sun and the heaven.
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