In 2012, to celebrate the 1200th anniversary of Kojiki (712), NHK commissioned a version of the Hyuga cycle of myths, central to the putative descent of the imperial line from heaven.
The animator is award-winning Koji Yamamura, born 1964. He … Read the rest
My attention was caught recently by an article in the conservative leaning Daily Yomiuri by a Japanese professor at Waseda University. It asked the question about when the Japanese became Japanese. The answer he gave, interestingly, is constructed by myth.… Read the rest
Spiders in myth
Anyone familiar with Noh and Kabuki will know of the Tsuchigumo, or ground spider. These plays are sometimes put on at shrines for the entertainment of the kami. The creature plays a part too in Shinto myth … Read the rest
Last weekend I happened to be in the liveliest part of Kobe, Sannomiya, amidst bustling crowds. It’s noted for its nightlife, with a dense concentration of bars, restaurants, live houses, karaoke and all kinds of other interesting dives. And there … Read the rest
Kyoto has so many treasures it would take more than a single lifetime to get to see them all. Though I’ve lived here for 20 years and written a book about the city, I’d not come across Umenomiya Taisha over … Read the rest
Green Shinto previously carried a review of last year’s Heldt translation of Kojiki by Quin Arbeitman. He noted that the new translation was “A much needed development, as the Basil Hall Chamberlain translation is generally considered a needlessly difficult … Read the rest
As an animist religion, Shinto sees the spirit world as underpinning that of the physical. This is true too of the traditional swords, thought to have a spiritual presence. ‘The forging of a Japanese blade typically took weeks or even … Read the rest
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