Test Questions

1. Who were the original occupants of Japan?
a. Japenese
b. Chinese
c. Mongoloids
d. Shintoists

2. Which word is not derived from the Japanese language?
a. kung fu
b. koi
c. origami
d. karaoke

3. When did the Japanese begin recording their religious beliefs?
a. 18th century
b. 8th century
c. 1000 BCE
d. yesterday

4. Which country influenced Japan’s concept of “the coming of the islands” in the creation myth?
a. Vietnam
b. Turkey
c. China
d. America

5. Who were the god and goddess of creation?
a. Owadatsumi and Amateras
b. Susanoh and Rafu-sen
c. Zeus and Artemis
d. Izanagi and Iznami

1. c 2. a 3. b 4. c 5. d

Sample Prayer and Offering

Prayer:

Takaamahara Ni Kami Tsumari masu. 

Kamurogi Kamuromi no Mikoto wo Mochite Sumemioya Kamu Izanagi No Mikoto 

Tsukushi No Himuka No Tachihana No Odo No Ahagi Hara Ni Misogi Harai Tamau Toki Ni 

Narimaseru Haraidono Ookami Tachi Moromoro No Magagoto Tsumi Kegare Wo 

Harai Tamae Kiyome Tamae To Mousu Koto No Yoshi Wo Tamatsu Kami Kunitsu Kami Yaoyorozu No Kamitachi Tomomi 

Ameno Huchikoma No Mimi Furitatete Kikoshimese To Kashikomi Kashikomi Mo Maosu  

Spirits  of purification 

created for order of  and the mother 

that they inhabit the Sky, 

exactly as when 

The God Izanagi no Mikoto 

bathed in the narrow estuary 

of a covered river with trees 

permanently leafy, in the South region.

With all the respect from the depth of our hearts 

We ask that they hear us, such as the spirit that hears our 

intent, with sharpened ears, together with 

Spirits of the Sky and the Land, 

Take the badnesses, disasters and sins and purify all.

Miroku Oomikami 

You bless us and proteject us

Meishu Sama 

You bless us and protect us

For expansion of our soul 

And the fullfillment of your will

Offering:

1) Ema are small wooden plaques often adorned with pictures of animals and other Shinto Imagery, and may have the word meaning “wish” written along the side, on which worshippers write their prayers or wishes. They are left on a shrine, where the kami (gods) receive them.

2) The most traditional five offerings are rice, rice wine (sake), water, salt and evergreen branches. They are offered in small, symbolic quantities, presented in white pottery containers. Depending upon the region, season and festival, local produce such as fish or boar might be offered as well. It is traditional to offer any delicacy to spirits before the humans partake of it. 

Main Gods: What Do They Look Like?

Amaterasu Omikami: Principal Japanese deity who is the ruler of the gods and universe. She is the goddess of the sun, the Great Goddess or Mother Goddess who is responsible for fertility.

Izanami no Mikoto (she who Invites) and Izanagi No Mikoto (he who invites) are the two deities responsible for creating the first land mass. They were both siblings and spouses, and produced several children, including the eight babies who made up Japan, and several other deities.

  Tsukiyomi: the good of the moon whose brilliance and beauty were almost as great as Amaterasu’s. He is the son of Izanami and Izanagi, and married his sister Amaterasu, with whom the universe he ruled.

Susano-o-no-Mikoto: Son of Izanami and Izanagi. He was bad-tempered and enjoyed causing chaos, which eventually led to him being stripped of his power to rule the earth and being banished to rule the netherland.

Symbols

Ebisu is the god of seafarers, working men and good luck and he is symbolized by a jolly and prosperous nature. He carries a fishing pole with a large fish hooked on the end.

Daikoku is symbolized by great fortunes. He has large treasures and a mullet in his hold. He is the god of wealth.

Fukurokuju represents wealth, but also having a long life. He has a long robe and a bald head.

Kisshōten is symbolized by a tiara and a phoenix symbol. She is the goddess of fertility, beauty and fortune. 

Hotei is symbolized by a joyful nature and he is the god of happiness. A big belly and grin accompanied by a sack on his back is his symbol.

Benzaiten is symbolized by mandolin and a snake. She is the goddess of art. Benzaiten has shrines that are generally designed with snakes.

Bishamonten is shown with a protective headgear, full body armor and a spear. He is the god of war and the protector of the sacred aspects of society.

Regional Map

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/japan/japan-map

Ten English Words Derived from Japanese

1.Karaoke: カラオケ or "empty orchestra"

 2.Origami:折り紙 from "ori" meaning folding and "kami" meaning paper

 3.Tycoon:大君 "great prince" or "high commander",later applied to wealthy business leaders

 4.Koi: 鯉 In Western usage, this japanese word is used to talk about ornamental varieties of the common carp, while in japanese it just means carp

 5.Tsunami:津波 means "harbour wave"; a large wave caused by earthquakes or other underwater disturbances.

6.Futon: 布団 a flat mattress with a fabric exterior stuffed with cotton, wool, or synthetic batting that makes up a Japanese bed

 7.Tofu:豆腐 bean curd

 8.Karate:空手 literally means "empty handed" because it is a fighting style which includes the use of hands and feet to strike the opponent, without any weapon

 9.Sudoko:数独 single number from "su"number and "doku" meaning single

 10.Honcho:班長 squad leader, from "han" squad and "chō" head, chief

Places of Worship

Shrines are the places of worship for Shintoism. The shrines are used as an establishment to keep a few kamies, or spirits. 

First there were temporary shrines that were used for a specific event or purpose, such as a rituals. These would be composed of wood or mounds of mud. When Buddhism was introduced into Japan, the shrines became modeling the design of Buddhist temples. With this new influence, the shrines became less basic and more elaborate. Metal began to be used, but generally, wood is the most common product used to constuct these shrines. The roofs are curved and have an ornamental design. 

Shrines can be found near caves, waterfalls, gardens and other parts of nature. Due to the location in nature, the rituals were completed outside, using water, flora and fauna. The rituals stressed the harmony between the spirits, nature and man.

Family Tree

Izanami and Izanagi- God and Goddess of creation
Ohyamatsumi- God of the mountain
Amateras (Amateratsu)- Goddess of the sun
Susanoh- God of the sea and storms
Owadatsumi- God of sea
Tsukuyomi- God of the moon

Note: There are many other siblings involved that are not in the maps, but these are the main ones that take part in Japanese mythology.

Creation & Destruction Myth

This myth states the coming of the Japanese islands. Both gods and goddesses took part in this myth; this aspect is thought to be a Chinese influence. The gods and goddesses are believed to be human in appearance, thought, speech and deed. The female had a very subservient role, and the males are usually the ones to speak first. When the goddesses spoke first, it was considered rude and unethical. However, one of the main Japanese deities is actually a woman.

Afterlife

Shintoism believes that some sort of link is broken a few decades after a person’s death. The link might be the souls attachment to the world, as the soul finally leaves this earth, or that it loses its individuality and becomes part of the guardian spirit. Shinto lore suggests that the sul has multiple sections that can act and move around individually, so that different parts of the soul have different afterlives, such as one part being reincarnated, etc.

Japanese Mythology: Its Cultural Background

In Japan, mythology was a very important aspect in everyday life. Many believed in gods and goddesses that helped shape the universe as it is today.

Most Japanese mythology revolves around their shinto beliefs. In the early 8th century, the Japanese began recording their religious beliefs. Shintoism believes in the worship of nature, ancestors, and heroes, and in the idea that every Shintoism aspect of nature had a divine spirit. The Chinese were also a major influence in Japanese religion, art and literature, starting from 552 A.D; a lot of the Japanese mythology we read today is derived from similar ideas of the Chinese. 

The two main books on Japanese mythology were written by authors who wanted to reduce exterior influences on their earliest religious beliefs. The books were also produced at a time in which the Japanese believed that their old myths were fact. 

These two books are: The Kojiki (Record of Ancients Matters, 712 A.D) and the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan, 720 A.D.) Both were submitted to the Imperial Court, and were written in compliance with commands handed down by the reigning Empresses and were intended to glorify and strengthen Japan’s Imperial rule. The first chapter of each book focuses on myths about the birth and descendants of the Great Goddess Amaterasu, the ancestors of Japan’s Imperial Line. The last chapters of both show what was done and said by the human kin of Amaterasu.