japanese mythology a to z

[...]... impact created the mountain of Mo-Yama Anan  Amida  (Amida Buddha, Amida Nyorai)  ancestors  Many people feel a strong link to their ancestors and preserve this link in various ways In Japan, as in other Asian cultures, ancestors are venerated with small shrines in homes, ancestor tablets, and offerings According to ancient Shinto Japanese beliefs, after the dead pass through a suitable waiting and... spirits and deities important to the individual family are commemorated Both a Shinto altar (kamidana) and a Buddhist altar (butsudan) are often used to honor spirits important to the family The kami, or deities, associated with the family ancestors stretch back literally hundreds of generations to the very early days of Japan Other kami with special meaning to the family can also be honored at the altars... Religious Traditions in Japan Kami At the heart of very early Japanese religious practices are kami The word is usually translated into English as “gods” or “deities,” though the concept is actually more complicated than that Kami can be divided into two main categories The first relates to natural phenomena For example, a mountain or a stream may be thought to have a kami associated with it A mountain kami... born Izanagi gave Amaterasu his sacred beads (Yasakani no Magatama) and told her she would rule over heaven He then told Susano-Wo that he would rule over the seas But Susano-Wo was jealous of his sister He told his father that he would leave and go to Yomi to join his mother, Izanami This made Izanagi very angry He ordered Susano-Wo out of his sight Susano-Wo went to see his sister Amaterasu to say good-bye,... of Japanese history.  (Photo by PHGCom/Used under a Creative Commons license) xii  Japanese Mythology A to Z Wherever they came from, the Yamato kings or emperors gradually and steadily extended their rule over the Japanese islands through warfare and diplomacy Rival states in the Japanese islands were generally organized according to clans or family structures They were called uji, and an important... will be disappointed asuras  In Hindu and Indian mythology, the asuras are evil giants who fight men and gods Japanese Buddhist mythology pictures them as demons locked in constant battle with taishaku (the Japanese version of an ancient Indian god, Indra) Atago-Gongen  Atago is honored as a fire god at the Shinto shrine at Mount Atago In art, he appears as a soldier Mythologists have traced AtagoGongen’s... War but then replaced Ama-no-Uki-Hashi  The Floating Bridge that connects heaven and earth in Shinto mythology Eight roads are traditionally believed to lead to all places on earth at the foot of the bridge The bridge is guarded by a deity called the Guardian of the Bridge or Guardian of the Paths, Sarutahiko Ohkami He decides who shall pass and who shall not, and his decisions are not always automatic... many worked as administrators and bureaucrats— performing what today we might call “desk jobs.” The most numerous class by far were farmers, ranked locally generally according to their wealth Merchants and artisans were officially at the bottom of the local hierarchy, but in fact enjoyed a much higher standard of luxury than farmers and day laborers Villages usually had a local government, with many... AtagoGongen’s humanlike appearance to an eighth-century statue of Jizō in a Buddhist temple August One  A title applied to some gods and mythological rulers The word “august” describes a person who has the outward appearance and inward quality of majestic dignity and splendor awabi  Demons of the sea near Nanao in Japan, according to early Japanese mythology They feast on drowning fishermen and guard jewels... powerful and wise Amida is one of five Buddhas of contemplation and by far the most popular or well known among Buddhists Amida is the Japanese equivalent of Amit    obha, ˉ as he is called by his Sanskrit name According to legend, Amida was born from a lotus flower He is also known as Amida-Nyorai and Amida Buddha Some Buddhists believe that Amida will grant them rebirth in a place called the “Pure Land,” . Mythology A to Z Japanese Mythology A to Z Native American Mythology A to Z Norse Mythology A to Z South and Meso-American Mythology A to Z MYTHOLOGY A TO Z MYTHOLOGY A TO Z MYTHOLOGY A TO Z MYTHOLOGY. class="bi x0 y0 w0 h0" alt="" Japanese Mythology A to Z second edition African Mythology A to Z Celtic Mythology A to Z Chinese Mythology A to Z Egyptian Mythology A to Z Greek and Roman Mythology. production staff at Chelsea House for their help. Debra Scacciaferro provided valuable research and organizational assistance. I would like to thank as well the people and ancestors of Japan for