KamiKami (Japanese: ; ) are the deities, divinities, spirits, and mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in the traditional Shinto religion of Japan. Kami can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, beings and the qualities that these beings express, as well as the spirits of venerated dead people.
Inari ŌkamiInari Ōkami (Japanese: 稲荷大神), also called Ō-Inari (大稲荷), is the Japanese kami of foxes, fertility, rice, tea, sake, agriculture and industry, and general prosperity and worldly success, and is one of the principal kami of Shinto. The name Inari can be literally translated into "rice-bearer". In earlier Japan, Inari was also the patron of swordsmiths and merchants.
Japanese mythologyJapanese 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. 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.
KojikiThe Kojiki (古事記; Japanese pronunciation:, "Records of Ancient Matters" or "An Account of Ancient Matters"), also sometimes read as Furukotofumi or Furukotobumi, is an early Japanese chronicle of myths, legends, hymns, genealogies, oral traditions, and semi-historical accounts dating as far back as 641 concerning the origin of the Japanese archipelago, the kami, and the Japanese imperial line.
AnimalBiological kingdomAnimals are multicellular, eukaryoticorganisms belonging to the biologicalkingdomAnimalia (). Animals consume organic material, breathe oxygen, have muscle cells, can reproduce sexually, and grow from a hollow sphere of cells, the blastula, during embryonic development. With few exceptions, animals are able to move. Animals form a clade, meaning that they arose from a single common ancestor.
BenzaitenBenzaiten (／; Japanese pronunciation:), or simply Benten, is an East Asian Buddhistdharmapāla who has been adopted into Mahayana from Hindu goddess Saraswati, the patroness of speech, the arts, and learning. Worship of Benzaiten arrived in Japan during the sixth to eighth centuries, mainly via Classical Chinese translations of the Golden Light Sutra (Sanskrit: Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sūtra), which has a section devoted to her.
Nihon ShokiThe Nihon Shoki (日本書紀; Japanese pronunciation:) or Nihongi (日本紀), sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan, is the second-oldest book of classical Japanese history. It is more elaborate and detailed than the Kojiki, the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeologists as it includes the most complete extant historical record of ancient Japan.
MouseA mouse (pl.mice) is a small rodent, characteristically known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (Mus musculus). Mice are widely available as pets, but not as popular as some other rodents. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are locally common. They are known to invade homes for food and shelter.
DaikokutenDaikokuten (大黒天; Japanese pronunciation: [dai.ko.kɯ̥ꜜ.teɴ, dai.koꜜ.kɯ̥.teɴ]) is a syncretic Japanese deity of fortune, luck and wealth. Daikokuten originated from Mahākāla, the Buddhist Deva (天, Ten) conflated with the native Shinto god Ōkuninushi. He is a patron of farmers, cooks and jobs related to money such as bankers.
Seven Lucky GodsIn Japanese mythology, the Seven Lucky Gods or Seven Gods of Fortune (七福神, Shichifukujin; Japanese pronunciation:) are believed to grant good luck and are often represented in netsuke and in artworks. One of the seven (Jurōjin) is said to be based on a historical figure. They all began as remote and impersonal gods, but gradually became much closer canonical figures for certain professions and Japanese arts.
SnakeLimbless, scaly, elongate reptileSnakes are limblessreptiles of the squamate suborder Serpentes.
ShamanismReligious practiceRussian postcard based on a photo taken in 1908 by S. I. Borisov, showing a female shaman of probable Khakas ethnicityShamanism is a spiritual practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with the spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spiritual energies into the physical world for the purpose of healing, divination, or to aid human beings in some other way.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.