Japanese Gods, Heroes, and Mythology

Japanese Gods, Heroes, and Mythology — page 3 — A statue of Momotaro stands in Okayama Japan demons Momotaro wanted to travel there to rescue the people from the terrible monsters Momotaro’s parents did not want him to leave But they knew he was meant for something great 6

Japanese Gods, Heroes, and Mythology — page 4 — They gave him their blessing and food for the journey Along the way he met up with a bird a monkey and a dog He shared his food and much kindness with each of them The animals went with him to the island When they arrived they defeated the demons The people were so grateful that they rewarded Momotaro with many treasures He gave them all to his parents so they would never go hungry again The story teaches many lessons about the values of Japanese culture One important lesson is the value of helping one’s father and mother THE ORIGINS OF JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY Most stories from Japanese mythology are found in two ancient texts The Kojiki was written in 712 CE Its name means Records of Ancient Matters The Nihon shoki was recorded eight years later Its name means Chronicles of Japan The Japanese emperor Temmu ordered the creation of both texts The stories had many different sources Some stories had been written 7

Japanese Gods, Heroes, and Mythology — page 5 — down in earlier books Others had been retold by word of mouth over many years The stories are called myths because they often involve the supernatural Myths can reveal truths that more realistic-sounding stories cannot Japanese mythology is part of the Shinto religion the traditional religion of Japan In Shintoism there are countless kami or gods and goddesses The kami also include spirits of nature These spirits belong to things such as mountains and trees Some kami were once human They became kami after their deaths Like humans kami are imperfect They can make mistakes and behave badly Shinto stories also explain the origins of Japan’s ruling class The myths create a family tree showing Japan’s human rulers as descendants of the gods Emperor Temmu was a member of the ruling class He hoped the stories would strengthen his authority over the Japanese people 8

Japanese Gods, Heroes, and Mythology — page 6 — During the 500s Buddhism arrived in Japan from India This new religion brought its own mythology to Japan Some of the stories in the Kojiki and the Nihon shoki were Buddhist legends Shinto is the oldest religion of Japan But EVIL KAMI Not all kami are good Magatsuhi-no-kami are evil gods that bring tsumi to the world Tsumi means sin It includes bad choices people make such as murder It also includes things beyond human control Magatsuhi-no-kami can bring tsumi in the form of disaster or disease Buddhism is also commonly practiced in the country Many Japanese people practice both Shintoism and Buddhism Traditions of both religions are an important part of Japanese culture SHINTOISM TODAY All over Japan there are shrines built to honor the kami A shrine is a place of worship for Shintoists The followers believe kami reside at shrines Followers visit to connect with these spirits Many shrines are temples 9

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