Cover-image not available Handbook of Japanese Mythology TITLES IN ABC-CLIO’s Handbooks of World Mythology Handbook of Arab Mythology, Hasan El-Shamy Handbook of Celtic Mythology, Joseph Falaky Nagy Handbook of Classical Mythology, William F. Hansen Handbook of Egyptian Mythology, Geraldine Pinch Handbook of Hindu Mythology, George M. Williams Handbook of Inca Mythology, Catherine Allen Handbook of Native American Mythology, Dawn Bastian and Judy Mitchell Handbook of Norse Mythology, John Lindow Handbook of Polynesian Mythology, Robert D. Craig HANDBOOKS OF WORLD MYTHOLOGY Handbook of Japanese Mythology Michael Ashkenazi Santa Barbara, California • Denver, Colorado • Oxford, England Copyright © 2003 by Michael Ashkenazi All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission in writing from the publishers. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Ashkenazi, Michael. Handbook of Japanese mythology / Michael Ashkenazi. p. cm. — (Handbooks of world mythology) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Mythology, Japanese—Juvenile literature. I. Title. II. Series. BL2203.A86 2003 299'56—dc21 2003008649 ISBN 1-57607-467-6; 1-57607-468-4 (e-Book) 07 06 05 04 03 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 This book is also available on the World Wide Web as an e-book. Visit http://www.abc-clio.com for details. ABC-CLIO, Inc. 130 Cremona Drive, P.O. Box 1911 Santa Barbara, California 93116-1911 This book is printed on acid-free paper I . Manufactured in the United States of America To Zaf, for, among many things, first getting me interested in Japan [...]... (-bosatsu), 13 3 ¯-o Dakiniten, 13 3 Daruma, 13 4 Datsueba, 13 5 Divination, 13 5 Divine Descent, 13 7 Divine Rulership, 13 7 Dojo ¯ shi, 13 8 ¯ ¯-ho Dosojin, 13 9 ¯ Dπzoku-shin, 14 0 Earthly Kami (Kunitsu-kami), 14 1 Ebisu, 14 2 Emma-o 14 4 ¯, En-no-Gyoja, 14 4 ¯ Fii Nu Kang (Ryukyuan), 14 5 Food Deities, 14 6 Fox, 14 8 Fu-daishi, 15 1 Fudo Myo ¯, 15 1 ¯ ¯-o Fugen-bosatsu, 15 3 Fujin, 15 4 Fukurokuju, 15 5 Futsunushi-no-kami, 15 5... Gama-sennin, 15 6 Gekka-o 15 6 ¯, Ghosts, 15 6 Gongen, 15 8 Go-shintai, 15 8 Gozu-tenno, 15 9 Gut Length, 15 9 Hachidai Ryu-o 15 9 ¯ ¯, Hachiman, 16 0 Hashinau-uk Kamui (Ainu), 16 1 Heavenly Floating Bridge, 16 1 Heroes, 16 1 Hidarugami, 16 4 Hiruko, 16 5 Hitokotonushi-no-kami, 16 6 Hoderi-no-mikoto, 16 6 Ho-ori-no-mikoto (Hikohohodemi), 16 7 Contents Hotei, 16 8 ¯ Hotoke, 16 8 Ida-ten, 16 9 Imperial Regalia, 16 9 Inari, 17 0 Izanagi... Izanami, 17 2 Izumo, 17 7 Japanese Uniqueness, 17 9 Jewels, 18 0 Jimmu Tenno, 18 1 Jinushigami, 18 3 Jizo 18 3 ¯, Jurojin, 18 5 Jurokurakan, 18 5 ¯ Kagutsuchi-no-kami, 18 6 Kamado-gami, 18 6 Kami, 18 7 Kamikaze, 18 8 Kamimusubi, 19 0 Kamui Fuchi (Ainu), 19 1 Kandakoro Kamui (Ainu), 19 2 Kannon (Kanzeon-bosatsu), 19 3 Kappa, 19 5 Kasuga Daimyojin, 19 6 ¯ Kawa-no-kami, 19 7 Kenash Unarabe (Ainu), 19 7 Kim-un Kamui (Ainu), 19 8... (Ainu), 19 9 Kintoki (also Kintaro 19 9 ¯), Kishimojin, 200 ¯ Kobo Daishi, 2 01 ¯ ¯ Kojaku Myo-o 205 ¯ ¯, Kokka Shinto 206 ¯, Kokuzo ¯ ¯-bosatsu, 207 Koma-inu, 207 Kongo 209 ¯, Konohanasakuya-hime, 210 ¯ ¯ Konpira-daigongen, 211 Kotankor Kamui (Ainu), 211 Kotoshironushi-no-kami, 212 xi xii Contents Koyasu-gami, 213 Kuraokami-no-kami, 213 Kuyebiko, 213 Marebito, 214 Marishi-ten, 215 Miroku-bosatsu, 215 Mirror,... place being found for both The end of the 15 16 Handbook of Japanese Mythology religious contest was marked by the emergence of two bodies of writing One consisted of translated and native Buddhist writings, including the seventeenarticle rescript and translations of the sutras The other was the recording in the early seventh century of compilations of chronicles of the Japanese nation, its myths and history... Handbook of Japanese Mythology myths from the proto-Polynesian cultures of the island chains that stretch southward from Japan, through the Ryukyus, Taiwan, and the Philippines, where this myth (along with others) is retold in many variants Chinese Sources One of the greatest influences on Japanese mythology has been the mythology of neighboring China Chinese mythology was composed, itself, of a blend of. .. which the experts often dismiss as “folk traditions” rather than “proper” mythology The mythologies of small villages, and of minority peoples of the Japanese islands—the Ainu and the Ryukyuans—are sometimes not considered, in some fashion, “properly” Japanese or “properly” mythology Second, even recorded “proper” Japanese mythology whatever that means—is a compendium of mythologies of local origin and... been used to join the parts of a single name: Amaterasu-π-mikami Introduction MYTHOLOGY AND THE JAPANESE WORLD Japanese mythology is a misnomer in at least two ways First, rather than there being one coherent mythology of the Japanese people, there are in reality a multitude of them There are a number of different mythological traditions, some recorded in writing (and of use to politicians and ideologues),... Buddhism, 305 Shinto, 305 ¯ Mythology in Art and History, 306 Myths and Glossaries, 307 Glossary, 311 Appendix: Primary Sources, 319 Index, 3 31 About the Author, 377 PREFACE A project of this magnitude contains numerous surprises I had thought that I was fairly well acquainted with Japanese mythology, having spent years studying contemporary Japanese religion and beliefs As the writing of this book progressed,... world And quite a few will agree that the complex of physical traits Japanese people have is homogeneous and unique Thus, over the past five decades, books 7 8 Handbook of Japanese Mythology have come out in Japanese explaining the uniqueness of the Japanese by their supposed unique gut length, hair color, blood type, or physical brain structure None of these views, it so happens, is true These beliefs . (Ainu), 10 9 Aizen-Myo¯-o¯, 11 0 Ajishikitakahikone-no-kami, 11 0 Ama-no-uzume, 11 1 Amaterasu-o¯-mikami, 11 2 Amenominakanushi-no-kami, 11 3 Ame-no-wakahiko, 11 4 Amida Nyo¯ rai, 11 5 Animals, 11 5 Apasam. available Handbook of Japanese Mythology TITLES IN ABC-CLIO’s Handbooks of World Mythology Handbook of Arab Mythology, Hasan El-Shamy Handbook of Celtic Mythology, Joseph Falaky Nagy Handbook of Classical. American Mythology, Dawn Bastian and Judy Mitchell Handbook of Norse Mythology, John Lindow Handbook of Polynesian Mythology, Robert D. Craig HANDBOOKS OF WORLD MYTHOLOGY Handbook of Japanese Mythology Michael