Japanese mythology information

Japanese mythology is a collection of traditional stories, folktales, and beliefs that emerged in the islands of the Japanese archipelago. Shinto traditions are the cornerstones of Japanese mythology.^[1] The history of thousands of years of contact with Chinese and various Indian myths (such as Buddhist and Hindu mythology) are also key influences in Japanese religious belief.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Japanese myths are tied to the topography of the archipelago as well as agriculturally-based folk religion, and the Shinto pantheon holds uncountable kami ("god(s)" or "spirits").^[1] This article will discuss cosmogony, important deities, modern interpretations, cultural significance, and the influence of these myths.

Two important sources for Japanese myths, as they are recognized today, are the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki.^[4]^[5] The Kojiki, or "Record of Ancient Matters," is the oldest surviving account of Japan's myths, legends, and history.^[6] Additionally, the Shintōshū describes the origins of Japanese deities from a Buddhist perspective.^[7]

One notable feature of Japanese mythology is its explanation of the origin of the Imperial Family, which has been used historically to deify to the imperial line.^[4]

Japanese is not transliterated consistently across all sources (see spelling of proper nouns).

^ ^a ^b ^c Piggott, Juliet. (1983). Japanese mythology (New revised ed.). New York, N.Y. pp. 6–8. ISBN 0-911745-09-2. OCLC 9971207.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ Tylor, Edward B. (1877). "Remarks on Japanese Mythology". The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 6: 55–58. doi:10.2307/2841246. JSTOR 2841246.
^ Kitagawa, Joseph M. (1963). "Prehistoric Background of Japanese Religion". History of Religions. 2 (2): 292–328. doi:10.1086/462466. ISSN 0018-2710. JSTOR 1062069. S2CID 162362195.
^ ^a ^b ANDASSOVA, Maral (2019). "Emperor Jinmu in the Kojiki". Japan Review (32): 5–16. ISSN 0915-0986. JSTOR 26652947.
^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Smits, Gregory J. (1991). "Political Thought in Japanese Historical Writing: From Kojiki (712) to Tokushi Yoron (1712). By John S. Brownlee. Toronto: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 1991. xvii, 158 pp. $35.00". The Journal of Asian Studies. 51 (3): 666–667. doi:10.2307/2057985. ISSN 0021-9118. JSTOR 2057985. S2CID 154761651.
^ Kadoya, Atsushi; 門屋溫; Padoan, Tatsuma (2006). "On the Formation of Shintō Icons". Cahiers d'Extrême-Asie. 16: 151–182. doi:10.3406/asie.2006.1255. ISSN 0766-1177. JSTOR 44171454.

[:0-1] Piggott, Juliet. (1983). Japanese mythology (New revised ed.). New York, N.Y. pp. 6–8. ISBN 0-911745-09-2. OCLC 9971207.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[2] Tylor, Edward B. (1877). "Remarks on Japanese Mythology". The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 6: 55–58. doi:10.2307/2841246. JSTOR 2841246.

[:11-3] Kitagawa, Joseph M. (1963). "Prehistoric Background of Japanese Religion". History of Religions. 2 (2): 292–328. doi:10.1086/462466. ISSN 0018-2710. JSTOR 1062069. S2CID 162362195.

[:3-4] ANDASSOVA, Maral (2019). "Emperor Jinmu in the Kojiki". Japan Review (32): 5–16. ISSN 0915-0986. JSTOR 26652947.

[:1-5] Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[6] Smits, Gregory J. (1991). "Political Thought in Japanese Historical Writing: From Kojiki (712) to Tokushi Yoron (1712). By John S. Brownlee. Toronto: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 1991. xvii, 158 pp. $35.00". The Journal of Asian Studies. 51 (3): 666–667. doi:10.2307/2057985. ISSN 0021-9118. JSTOR 2057985. S2CID 154761651.

[7] Kadoya, Atsushi; 門屋溫; Padoan, Tatsuma (2006). "On the Formation of Shintō Icons". Cahiers d'Extrême-Asie. 16: 151–182. doi:10.3406/asie.2006.1255. ISSN 0766-1177. JSTOR 44171454.

Japanese mythology information

and 28 Related for: Japanese mythology information

Japanese mythology

List of Japanese deities

Oni

List of legendary creatures from Japan

List of knowledge deities

Japanese dragon

List of theological demons

List of mythologies

List of lunar deities

List of rain deities

Namazu

List of sacred objects in Japanese mythology

List of fire gods

Mount Penglai

Nurikabe

List of dragons in mythology and folklore

List of nature deities

List of solar deities

List of mythological objects

Imperial Regalia of Japan

Japanese creation myth

List of coupled siblings

Amaterasu

Mount Takamagahara

LGBT themes in mythology

Vietnamese mythology

List of legendary creatures by type

Yamata no Orochi

Japanese mythology and folklore
Part of a series on

Mythic texts
Kojiki Nihon Shoki Fudoki Kujiki Kogo Shūi Konjaku Monogatarishū Nihon Ryōiki
Divinities
Amaterasu Ame-no-Uzume Inari Izanagi Izanami Kami Myōjin Seven Lucky Gods Susanoo
Legendary creatures and urban legends
Kitsune Oni Onryō Tengu Yōkai Yūrei
Mythical and sacred locations
Mount Hiei Mount Fuji Izumo Ryūgū-jō Takamagahara Yomi Jigoku
Sacred objects
Amenonuhoko Kusanagi Tonbogiri Three Sacred Treasures
Shintō and Buddhism
Bon Festival Setsubun Ema Torii Shinto shrines Buddhist temples
v t e