The drama of myths are particularly wellsuited to provide the scaffolding for teenage stories, whether focused coming of age or romance and adventure. Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that includes shinto and buddhist traditions. Navigate to the global search form search landmark. What are the best books in english about japanese mythology. The biblical hebrew origin of the japanese people casts a new light on the roots of the japanese people and its mysterious cultural sources. Handbook of japanese mythology handbooks of world mythology. The shinto religion alone has a very big number of kami japanese for gods or spirits most japanese myths, as generally known today, are based on the kojiki, nihonshoki and some other books. Japanese mythology includes a vast number of gods, goddesses, and spirits. Sources for japanese myths for many centuries myths were transmitted orally in japan. The birth of the gods izanagi, izamani, amaterasu, tsukuyomi, and takehaya susanoo. The mythology of japan has a long history dating back more than 2,000 years.
Discusses the mythology of japan, its origins in shintoism and buddhism, and the gods, spirits, men, and animals that appear in the many legends and stories. A tale from chinese opera, retold by aaron shepard ancient tales and folklore of china, by edward t. The japanese for mythology is find more japanese words at. Japanese folklore have their origins in two major religions of japan, buddhism and shinto. This article will discuss only the typical elements present in asian mythology, such as cosmogony, important deities, and the bestknown japanese stories. The shinto religion alone has many kami japanese for gods or spirits most japanese myths, as generally known today, are based on the kojiki, nihonshoki and some other books. Retellings of classic stories and folklore are easy to find no matter what genre you love to read, and the possibilities are endless. The history of thousands of years of contact with china, korea, ainu, and okinawan myths are also key influences in japanese mythology. Buy a cheap copy of japanese mythology book by juliet piggott. Their story is told in the 8th century ce japanese compendium of mythology, the kojiki. Japanese mythology a to z, second edition is a valuable, colorful reference for anyone with an interest in mythology or japanese culture. Japanese mythology the mythology of japan has a long history dating. One notable feature of japanese mythology is its explanation of the origin of the imperial family, which has. The kojiki or record of ancient things is the oldest known book of myths, legends, and history of japan.
Of japanese origin, possibly meaning wild male, impetuous male. In japanese mythology he was the god of storms and the sea, as well as the brother and adversary of the goddess amaterasu. The classic stories of mythology have been repeatedly mined for inspiration and reinterpreted for modern times, and have been an ongoing trend in young adult literature. Japanese mythology is a collection of traditional stories, folktales, and beliefs that emerged in the islands of the japanese archipelago. From the ruler of the heavens amaterasu to ryujin, the dragonking of the sea, this book helps kids understand the myths that shape and direct peoples lives. By purchasing books through this website, you support our nonprofit organization. Japan, of course, is a single nation, but its origins are so old and often so fragmented that unifi. The shinto pantheon comprises innumerable kami japanese for gods or spirits. The best fantastical japanese mythology books anime. Monsters, ghosts, fantastic beings, and supernatural phenomena of all sorts haunt the folklore and popular culture of japan. Handbook of japanese mythology makes it easy to travel this vast yet littleknown mythological landscape. Red winter by annette marie, across the nightingale floor by lian hearn, inuyasha. He was born when izanagi washed his nose after returning from the underworld.
Shinto and buddhist traditions are the cornerstones of japanese mythology. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Elsewhere, the seach will be visibly opened after this button is selected. The kojiki, which translates to the record of ancient matters, is an ancient document that elaborates the legends and myths of japan. An introductory guide to the mythology of japanone of the most pervasive yet least understood facets of japanese culture. Doppelgangers and curious myths and stories of spirit. Japanese mythology is the mythology that embraces shinto and buddhist traditions as well as agriculturallybased folk religion.
In a world thought to have been createdand nearly destroyedby the primordial gods izanagi and izanami, mythic heroes battled ferocious dragons and giant spiders, while ordinary bamboo cutters and farmers made unexpected contact with the supernatural. The book was originally published in japanese, selling over 40,000 copies and has finally been translated into english for the benefit of a larger audience. Fiction based in japanese mythology 63 books goodreads. Mythological events were considered historical moments rather than mythology. Shinto, an indigenous religion, and buddhism, which developed in india and came to japan from china and korea.
Invaluable source book of stories, myths, characters and japanese historical context. Currently popular in anime, manga, film, and computer games, many yokai originated in. The book reveals the origins of japans myths in the very different realms of buddhism, shinto, and folklore, and explores related mythologies of the ainu and okinawan cultures and recent myths arising from japans encounters with. Japanese mythology ebook by jim ollhoff nook book ebook. In this volume professor isomae argues that japanese mythology finds its uniqueness in the persistence of the interpretation of two specific scriptures. Whether youre obsessed with greek myths or intrigued by japanese folklore, this list is sure to have a title or two that can offer a great introduction to these beloved stories across the world. Readers of japanese mythology will learn the history of myths, as well as their deeper meaning. As was common practice before the age of script, these tales were passed on through oral traditionsthe teiki and kuji, among othersfor generations before they were ever recorded. The tales in the kojiki tell of the creation of the world, the origin of the gods, and the ancestry of the japanese emperors, who claimed descent from the sun goddess. Japanese religionan excellent source is ruth benedicts the chrysanthemum and sword. Fantasy, magical realism, mythic fiction, historic fiction, or general fiction based in japanese mythology. Japanese mythology, body of stories compiled from oral traditions concerning the legends, gods, ceremonies, customs, practices, and historical accounts of the japanese people. I want to gift for my brothers birthday a book on japanese mythology, hes very into japanese culture and folklore, and he also enjoys mythology in general. Japanese mythology izanagi and izanami and the birth of.
A superhero tale of china, retold from the journey to the west by aaron shepard lady white snake. Japanese mythology gods, goddess, creatures and stories. Japanese mythology simple english wikipedia, the free. The name appears as woden in anglosaxon sources for example, as the founder of several royal lineages in the anglosaxon chronicle and in forms such as wotan, wuotan or wodan in continental. In japanese mythology, izanagi and izanami were a divine couple, brother and sister, who had a principle role in creating the islands of japan and from whom many important and elemental kami gods had their birth. To really delve into the mythology, we need a book that tells of us the diverse breadth of stories that makeup japanese history and culture.
The shinto pantheon alone boasts an uncountable number of kami deities or spirits. Every book ive seen on their mythology either has only one star on barnes and noble, or only 32 pages, which cant possibly teach me anything. Japanese mythology is a collection of traditional stories, folktales, and beliefs that emerged in. Japanese mythology is collectively chronicled in the kojiki, the oldest historical record written in japan in 712 ad, and in the nihon shoki written in 720. Japanese mythology dates back to more than two centuries and is an intricate system of beliefs that also incorporates the agriculturalbased folk religion as well as traditional buddhist and shinto beliefs. Ive been wanting to read a bit about japanese myths and legends, kamis and yokais, and the main reference i found was handbook of japanese mythology, which seems quite complete. What is a good book about japanese mythology and other cultures. The fantastic in every sense of the word books on this list draw from indian, norse, japanese, chinese, and korean myths.
Shadow of the fox by julie kagawa, red winter by annette marie. Most of the surviving japanese myths are recorded in the kojiki compiled 712. Score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Handbook of japanese mythology handbooks of world mythology author.
Handbook of japanese mythology by michael ashkenazi. The twelve norse gods and goddesses that are categorized as the aesir and identified as the warrior gods. Japanese folklore and mythology new world encyclopedia. The creation story of japan illustrated with japanese art. However, my understanding is that it has quite a scholar approach to the subject, and that reading it feels more like a lecture, which is fine but not quite like im. Tales of expansive worlds, characters, and lessons that all represent the true. These religious beliefs originated in india and came to japan to china and korea. The germanic people had their own pantheon of deities. Strauss, campbell, and others are explored and applied through an intensive study. Japanese folklore are heavily influenced by the two primary religions of japan, shinto and buddhism. I really want to know more about japanese mythology, but i dont know where to look. These lectures discuss various theories that address the origin, structure, and meaning of mythology.
Japanese mythology is a complex system of beliefs that also embraces shinto and buddhist traditions as well as agriculturebased folk religion. The best fantastical japanese mythology books anime impulse. Japanese mythology dates back 2000 years and melds the beliefs of the shinto and buddhist religions with a focus on creation and the forces of nature. A captivating guide to japanese folklore, myths, fairy tales, yokai, heroes and heroines explore captivating myths of japanese deities, yokai, heroes and heroines the study of mythology and folklore is a peculiar one to the ext. Japanese tales by royall tyler just the book with expansive content containing over two hundred of japans most revered tales. If a book for japanese mythology is hard to come by, i would be fine with a more general like asian mythology, to. The mythology of spirit doubles can be traced back thousands of years and was present in many cultures of the past, holding a prominent place in ancient legends, stories, artworks, and in books by various authors. The kojiki or record of ancient things is the oldest recognized book of myths, legends, and history of japan. The book reveals the origins of japans myths in the very different realms of buddhism, shinto, and folklore, and explores related mythologies of the ainu and. Broadly labeled yokai, these creatures come in infinite shapes and sizes, from tengu mountain goblins and kappa water spirits to shapeshifting foxes and longtongued ceilinglickers. Shadow of the fox by julie kagawa, red winter by annette marie, flame in the mist by renee ahdieh, kinslayer by jay.
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