Role Of Animism In Japanese Culture
Animism and Supernatural Beings
There are many aspects of Japanese culture that I like, but I think that interests me the most is the animist culture of Japan and all around it as its mythology and folklore.
I find very interested to think that each object, each element of nature has a soul. I also think that the animist is very present in Japanese culture.
Japan cultivates for a long time a narrow report with the nature, a nature strewed with religious references, animist, Buddhist and Shinto. The nature is completely a part of the life of the Japanese. So, as I said above, every object, animal, element of the nature possesses a soul. It is for that reason, that in the legends and the old stories Japanese, but also in today's culture, …show more content…
Because for me, I think Miyazaki's movies perfectly reflects the animist culture and offers the vastest, the richest collection of monsters and other extraordinary appearances.
God covered with putrid garbage, god dragon, ghost dark, melancholic and voracious: Spirited Away, is a concentrate of this bestiary, a mixture of Shinto mythology and of animism.
It is through his films that I realized that all these folk creatures had an important place in Japanese culture.
The oldest religion of Japan is Shintoism. As I said above, Shinto combines animism, a belief which considers that everything has a spirit and ancestor worship. Shinto myths, born in oral cultures, were compiled in the early eighth century in two books: the Kojiki (712) and Nihon Shoki (720).
Supernatural beings from Japanese folklore could be classified in three categories, Kami, Yokai and Yurei.
Kami means "God". It is the principle of life existing in all things animate or inanimate. By extension, kami refers to Shinto spirit or deity. There are an infinite number of Kamis, one for each thing that exists. The kami are present in places (waterfall, mountain, etc.), objects, natural phenomena, plants, animals, humans, and even symbols and concepts (fertility, for …show more content…
Of uncertain origin, they are presented at the end of the eleventh century in the Konjaku Monogatari, a collection of legends and historical events of ancient Japan. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish them from kami. Indeed, some of them, as the Tengu (kind of monstrous bird-man), are venerated as Kamis. The Yokai are either malevolent or benevolent.
Ukiyo-e print of Yokai, by Utagawa Kuniyoshi
The Yureis are ghosts who remain in the world for several reasons: the rites of burial were poorly conducted, or they have experienced a violent death or else they have left strong emotions behind them (great jealousy, immense grief, desire for revenge, etc). Therefore, these spirits haunt our world, as long as the problem which is holding them back is not resolved.
Ukiyo-e print of Yurei, by Hokusai
I chose to talk about two supernatural beings most popular in this Japanese folklore.
The Kappa is a Yokai described as a genius or an imp living in the water. It is known for attracting humans or horses in the water. The Kappas have the appearance of turtles, with a beak-shaped mouth and the top of their skull is slightly hollowed, surrounded by hair. These are popular characters in manga, Japanese animation, literature and children's toys. Their image has sometimes been modernized so that it is more sympathetic, cute and caring
There are many aspects of Japanese culture that I like, but I think that interests me the most is the animist culture of Japan and all around it as its mythology and folklore.
I find very interested to think that each object, each element of nature has a soul. I also think that the animist is very present in Japanese culture.
Japan cultivates for a long time a narrow report with the nature, a nature strewed with religious references, animist, Buddhist and Shinto. The nature is completely a part of the life of the Japanese. So, as I said above, every object, animal, element of the nature possesses a soul. It is for that reason, that in the legends and the old stories Japanese, but also in today's culture, …show more content…
Because for me, I think Miyazaki's movies perfectly reflects the animist culture and offers the vastest, the richest collection of monsters and other extraordinary appearances.
God covered with putrid garbage, god dragon, ghost dark, melancholic and voracious: Spirited Away, is a concentrate of this bestiary, a mixture of Shinto mythology and of animism.
It is through his films that I realized that all these folk creatures had an important place in Japanese culture.
The oldest religion of Japan is Shintoism. As I said above, Shinto combines animism, a belief which considers that everything has a spirit and ancestor worship. Shinto myths, born in oral cultures, were compiled in the early eighth century in two books: the Kojiki (712) and Nihon Shoki (720).
Supernatural beings from Japanese folklore could be classified in three categories, Kami, Yokai and Yurei.
Kami means "God". It is the principle of life existing in all things animate or inanimate. By extension, kami refers to Shinto spirit or deity. There are an infinite number of Kamis, one for each thing that exists. The kami are present in places (waterfall, mountain, etc.), objects, natural phenomena, plants, animals, humans, and even symbols and concepts (fertility, for …show more content…
Of uncertain origin, they are presented at the end of the eleventh century in the Konjaku Monogatari, a collection of legends and historical events of ancient Japan. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish them from kami. Indeed, some of them, as the Tengu (kind of monstrous bird-man), are venerated as Kamis. The Yokai are either malevolent or benevolent.
Ukiyo-e print of Yokai, by Utagawa Kuniyoshi
The Yureis are ghosts who remain in the world for several reasons: the rites of burial were poorly conducted, or they have experienced a violent death or else they have left strong emotions behind them (great jealousy, immense grief, desire for revenge, etc). Therefore, these spirits haunt our world, as long as the problem which is holding them back is not resolved.
Ukiyo-e print of Yurei, by Hokusai
I chose to talk about two supernatural beings most popular in this Japanese folklore.
The Kappa is a Yokai described as a genius or an imp living in the water. It is known for attracting humans or horses in the water. The Kappas have the appearance of turtles, with a beak-shaped mouth and the top of their skull is slightly hollowed, surrounded by hair. These are popular characters in manga, Japanese animation, literature and children's toys. Their image has sometimes been modernized so that it is more sympathetic, cute and caring