9
votes
Accepted
How are Japanese emperors related to Amaterasu?
Based on this really neat family tree of the Emperors of Japan, I count 84 generations between Amaterasu and the incumbent Emperor Akihito (whose reign began in 1990). As a descendant of the first ...
- 9,855
7
votes
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Japanese Trickster Demons
Tengu (天狗)
A lot of my knowledge about them comes from the oral tradition, but the Wiki makes an interesting point that they were originally regarded as demons in the Buddhist context. In the Shinto ...
- 14.2k
6
votes
Accepted
What is the original story of Fox Spirit/Nine tails fox in India's myths?
The Dakini connection
Here is an extract of Chinese Magical Medicine by Michel Strickmann implying the direct connection between the Inari and the Dakini (p. 272).
The “Dakini” or “Dagini” for ...
- 3,512
6
votes
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Storybooks about Japanese Mythology?
Not sure what you are looking for but you have:
Mitford's tale from old Japan. A book from 1870 (something like that) collected by an Englishman, Algernon Miltford, one of the very first European ...
- 3,512
6
votes
Accepted
Were the Nekomata bipedal?
From what I've read, it seems that they often do walk around on their hind legs. On Wikipedia, it says, " The less experienced cat has difficulty standing on its hind legs while the older cat is ...
- 314
5
votes
Accepted
Who was the ruler of the Japanese Yomi?
As I understand it, Izanagi is the original ruler of Yomi, however, when Susanoo was banished there, he became ruler.
Texts on Yomi are very scarce, and finding out exactly how he became ruler, and ...
- 168
4
votes
Storybooks about Japanese Mythology?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-Fairy-Tales-Antique-Illustrated-Japan-Legends-14-1898-Hasegawa-Stories-/232065349086
I have often seen these kinds of antique Japanese fairy tale picture books, ...
- 416
4
votes
How were sun-showers viewed?
The Wyandot Indians have an origin myth for sun showers.
Then the Thunder spoke again to the young woman and said, "I have now taken him along with me, and whenever it rains while the sun is ...
4
votes
What is the Japanese human origin myth?
The Kojiki of Shinto states the origins of mankind as an action of Izanami-no-Mikoto:
Izanami started his cleansing rites and in doing so he created the
Goddess of the seas and the Goddess of the ...
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4
votes
What is the Japanese human origin myth?
The Yamata no Orochi (八岐大蛇) is actually ‘the flood myth’ of Japan. The 8 heads of Orochi are actually 8 rivers. Can’t remember the source, will update again if possible.
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4
votes
Did the Babylonians, Norse Vikings, Japanese or Greeks have a concept of a soulmate?
The only locus classicus I can think of for the notion of a soul-mate is Aristophanes’ speech in Plato’s Symposium 189c–193d, which does spin a kind of myth to account for it (and ...
- 1,400
4
votes
Is there an older name for Cecaelia?
I think I’ve come across the same references to the legends being from Native American and Japanese culture. As far as Japanese origins, all I’ve come across are a few online posts referencing to the ...
- 473
4
votes
Is there an older name for Cecaelia?
In Japanse, these are called 人魚 (lit. human + fish) Ningyo
Several Native American tribes have words and stories regarding mermaids:
Halfway People (Mi'kmaq)
Lumpeguin (Maliseet)
Ne Hwas (...
- 5,378
4
votes
Accepted
How did you survive my 100-step punch?
This reminded me of the unique "Kill Bill" (Vols. I & II) movies. Found the following on Pinterest:
Pai Mei played by Kung Fu movie legend Gordon Liu in Kill Bill -
character is based off of ...
- 709
4
votes
Were there ever any Kitsune considered to be Hero's or Protagonists of a story?
Kitsune in Japanese mythology fall into one of two categories:
善狐 zenko, literally "good foxes"
野狐 yako, literally "foxes of the fields"
Zenk are benevolent, celestial foxes associated with the god ...
- 5,378
4
votes
Accepted
Why isn't Ninigi considered the first emperor of Japan?
Ninigi No Mikoto in Japanese mythology is said to be the divine origin of the Yamato clan. There are several versions of the myth, in both the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. In the latter there also are ...
- 5,378
3
votes
Can kitsune die/be killed?
One belief is that when a kitsune changes shape, its hoshi no tama holds a portion of its magical power. Another tradition is that the pearl represents the kitsune's soul; the kitsune will die if ...
- 1,118
3
votes
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Why did Izanami speaking first cause her and Izanagi bad luck with procreation?
This legend is found in the Kojiki, the oldest "history book" from Japan. The original text makes the reason quite plain: because Izanami is a woman.
告其妹曰「女人先言、不良」 . . . 「因女先言而不良」
He then told ...
- 7,867
3
votes
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Japanese god of tea
My understanding of the Japanese tea ceremony is that it arose out of the Zen tradition, which has no gods.
However, I did find mention of a Japanese kami associated with tea, Inari Ōkami.
There ...
- 14.2k
3
votes
What is the meaning behind Amaterasu-ōmikami meaning what it does?
Re: Why "august"
It's a function of translation into European languages. It comes from the Latin usage: augustus and was a title employed initially by Octavian, who was deified after his death.
I'm ...
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2
votes
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Do the gods Ameteratsu and Inari have any consorts?
Amateratsu is traditionnaly the spouse of her very own brother Tsukuyomi. You can check Wikipedia.
In case of Inari he was married with Ukemochi and after Tsukuyomi slain her he married Mitama (Uga-no-...
- 3,512
2
votes
Are Kitsune and Huli jing the same?
As an addendum: While kitsune are associated with Japanese Shinto deities Inari and Ukanomitama, as well as the Buddhist-originated Dakini-ten; Huxian or Huli Jing are, meanwhile, associated with the ...
- 21
2
votes
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Is there any reference to this story about Inari?
That reads to me like an embellished, Western take on the common "fox wife" stories ubiquitous in Japanese folklore. The prototypical version of this theme appears in the 8th century nihon ryōiki (...
- 7,867
2
votes
What else was done to Amaterasu?
Initially, Susanoo ruled the Takama no Hara (High Celestial Plain) with his sister Amaterasu but from the very beginning, Susanoo caused trouble by destroying forests and mountains and killing local ...
2
votes
Are there any female heroines in Shinto mythology?
Amaterasu or Amaterasu-ōmikami is one of the major deities in the animistic Shinto religion of Japan; her full name means “Great Divinity Illuminating Heaven.” One of the world’s few female solar ...
2
votes
What is the significance of soy beans in the Japanese custom of Setsubun?
As you know, the highlight of the ritual is throwing beans at the oni. This specific activity is known as mame (魔滅), meaning "to destroy the demon" (魔を滅する, ma wo mes suru). Alternatively, mame can ...
- 7,867
2
votes
Is there a kami of Aokigahara?
In essence, Shinto states that Kami are elements of the landscape, forces of nature, spirits of the dead, roads, tools, anything really - there are over 300 categories of Kami according to Shinto ...
- 5,378
2
votes
How did you survive my 100-step punch?
The movie that you are referring to is called "Fists of the White Lotus" it stars Gordon Liu and Lo Leih.
The monk Hung Wen-Ting (Gordon Liu)fights against the evil priest White Lotus(Lo ...
2
votes
Is there an older name for Cecaelia?
In short, not that im aware of at this time. But, there are a lot of various creators in Greek myths that are similar, or usually depicted in a similar way.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
- 21
2
votes
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Are there any beings from Norse Mythology that could be mistaken for a Kitsune (fox-person spirit)?
A huldra
Huldra (Norway) or "skogsrå" (Sweden) are creatures from folklore who mostly look like young, friendly human women, but have something that marks them as inhuman: a back that is &...
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