Discover the stories and teachings of Japanese deities, presented in an accessible way.
Explore azukiarai, the Japanese river spirit known only by the sound of beans being washed. Learn its eerie song, the theories about what really makes the noise, the tragic tale of a murdered young monk, and the Japanese wisdom of naming formless anxiety in order to tame it.
Japanese Gods Encyclopedia Editorial Team
Discover the origins and proper etiquette of saisen, the Japanese shrine offering. Learn how scattered rice became coins, what the character sai truly means, the truth behind the five-yen 'good connection' pun, why coins should be placed rather than thrown, and the ancient wisdom that fortune circulates through letting go.
Japanese Gods Encyclopedia Editorial Team
Explore the myth of Takakuraji, the god who saved Emperor Jimmu's eastern campaign at its darkest hour. Learn how a dream from Amaterasu and Takemikazuchi delivered the sword Futsunomitama, his identification with Amenokagoyama, the faith at Yahiko Shrine, and the wisdom of a hero who never swung the blade he carried.
Japanese Gods Encyclopedia Editorial Team
Discover isshomochi, the Japanese rite of having a one-year-old carry a large rice cake. Learn the faith in the rice spirit dwelling in mochi, the wordplay binding 'one sho' to 'one lifetime,' the gentle wisdom of reading even a fall as good fortune, and the prayers behind the erabitori ritual.
Japanese Gods Encyclopedia Editorial Team
Explore the millennium-old history of ukai, cormorant fishing, and its life as a sacred rite. Discover its appearance in the Kojiki, the myth of a birthing hut thatched with cormorant feathers, the sweetfish offered to the gods, and the deep bond between fisher and bird.
Japanese Gods Encyclopedia Editorial Team
Explore Hidarugami, the spirit said to possess travelers on mountain passes and strike them with sudden hunger and collapse. Learn the folk remedy of a single grain of rice, the roots of this belief in prayers for those who died on the road, and the enduring wisdom of keeping something in reserve.
Japanese Gods Encyclopedia Editorial Team
Discover Takaokami, the dragon god enshrined at Kifune Shrine who dwells on mountain peaks and presides over rain and water sources. Learn the myth of his birth from the death of Kagutsuchi, the faith of praying for and stopping rain, and a modern teaching of circulating blessings.
Japanese Gods Encyclopedia Editorial Team
Discover Asuha, the deity who guards the homestead and the very ground we stand on. Learn the myth of this child of Otoshi, the faith sung by ancient frontier guards, and how to firm the foundation of family life through small daily acts.
Japanese Gods Encyclopedia Editorial Team
Discover Amenooshihi, the martial god who, armed with bow and sword, led the way before Ninigi during the heavenly descent. Learn the myth of this ancestral god of the Otomo clan and how the courage to take the vanguard applies to life today.
Japanese Gods Encyclopedia Editorial Team
Discover Amenomikage, enshrined at Mikami Shrine, whose object of worship is Mount Mikami, the beautifully conical Omi Fuji. Learn the ancient faith of revering a mountain itself as a god, and how to cultivate a quiet, unshakable presence.
Japanese Gods Encyclopedia Editorial Team
Discover Nomi no Sukune, revered as the founding god of sumo and ancestor of the Haji potters who devised clay figures to replace human sacrifice. Learn the path of mastering a craft to serve the world from this god of both strength and wisdom.
Japanese Gods Encyclopedia Editorial Team
Discover Kinshi, the golden kite that alighted on Emperor Jimmu's bow and routed his enemies with dazzling light. Learn the meaning of this victory myth and how it teaches us to draw in opportunity and break through hardship today.
Japanese Gods Encyclopedia Editorial Team