Kami Amaterasu, one of the central kami in the Shinto faith Kami (Japanese: 神?) are the spirits or phenomena that are worshipped in the religion of Shinto. They are elements in nature, animals, creationary forces in the universe, as well as spirits of the revered deceased. Etymology[edit] Some etymological suggestions are: Gender is also not implied in the word Kami, and as such it can be used to reference either male or female. History[edit] While Shinto has no founder, no overarching doctrine, and no religious texts, the Kojiki (the Ancient Chronicles of Japan), written in 712 CE, and the Nihonshoki (Chronicles of Japan), written in 720 CE, contain the earliest record of Japanese creation myths. In the ancient Shinto traditions there were 5 defining characteristics of Kami.[13] Kami are of two minds. Kami are an ever-changing concept, but their presence in Japanese life has remained constant. The pantheon of Kami, like the Kami themselves, is forever changing in definition and scope.
Japanese mythology Japanese myths, as generally recognized in the mainstream today, are based on the Kojiki, the Nihon Shoki, and some complementary books. The Kojiki, or "Record of Ancient Matters", is the oldest surviving account of Japan's myths, legends and history. The Shintōshū describes the origins of Japanese deities from a Buddhist perspective, while the Hotsuma Tsutae records a substantially different version of the mythology. One notable feature of Japanese mythology is its explanation of the origin of the imperial family which has been used historically to assign godhood to the imperial line. Note: Japanese is not transliterated consistently across all sources, see: #Spelling of proper nouns Creation myth[edit] In the Japanese creation myth, the first deities which came into existence, appearing at the time of the creation of the universe, are collectively called Kotoamatsukami. Kuniumi and Kamiumi[edit] From their union were born the Ōyashima, or the eight great islands of Japan:
Shinto Shinto priest and priestess. Shinto (神道, Shintō?), also kami-no-michi,[note 1] is the indigenous religion of Japan and the people of Japan.[2] It is defined as an action-centered religion,[3] focused on ritual practices to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present-day Japan and its ancient past.[4] Founded in 660 BC according to Japanese mythology,[5] Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written historical records of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki in the 8th century. Still, these earliest Japanese writings do not refer to a unified "Shinto religion", but rather to a collection of native beliefs and mythology.[6] Shinto today is a term that applies to the religion of public shrines devoted to the worship of a multitude of gods (kami),[7] suited to various purposes such as war memorials and harvest festivals, and applies as well to various sectarian organizations. According to Inoue (2003): Types of Shinto Shrine Shinto (神社神道, Jinja-Shintō?) Kami
Shintoshu The Shintōshū (神道集?) is a Japanese story book in ten volumes believed to date from the Nanboku-chō period (1336–1392).[1] It illustrates with tales about various shrines the Buddhist honji suijaku theory, according to which Japanese kami were simply local manifestations of the Indian gods of Buddhism. This theory, created and developed mostly by Tendai monks, was never systematized, but was nonetheless very pervasive and very influential.[2] The book had thereafter great influence over literature and the arts.[1] History[edit] The book is believed to have been written during the late Nanboku-chō period, either during the Bunna or the Enbun era.[3] It carries the note Agui-saku (安居院作?, made by Agui) but who exactly wrote it is unclear. The common point of the tales is that, before reincarnating as tutelary kami of an area, a soul has first to be born and suffer there as a human being. The book had a great impact on the literature and arts of the following centuries. References[edit]
Japanese calligraphy Japanese calligraphy (書道, shodō?) is a form of calligraphy, or artistic writing, of the Japanese language. For a long time, the most esteemed calligrapher in Japan had been Wang Xizhi, a Chinese calligrapher in the 4th century, but after the invention of Hiragana and Katakana, the Japanese unique syllabaries, the distinctive Japanese writing system developed and calligraphers produced styles intrinsic to Japan. Techniques[edit] Japanese calligraphy shares its roots with Chinese calligraphy and many of its principles and techniques are very similar and recognizes the same basic writing styles: Tools[edit] A traditional inkstone to grind ink and water against. A typical brush used for calligraphy. In modern calligraphy, a number of tools are utilized to make a composition. An inkstick (墨, sumi?). During preparation, water is poured into the inkstone and the inkstick is ground against it, mixing the water with the dried ink to liquefy it. History[edit] Chinese roots[edit] Heian Period[edit]
REFLEXION BUJINKAN | Les réflexions d'un Shidoshi-Hô Omoté-Ura, Yin-Yang - AikiAutrement Contrairement à ce que l’on pourrait penser, les notions de omoté et ura , ne sont pas réservées aux techniques d’aïkido ou à son vocabulaire. La philosophie et les sciences antiques, nous placent en face d’une pelote de laquelle il n’est pas aisé de tirer les fils pour en démêler le sens : les différents constituants, pris isolement sont très simples, la complexité réside en un ensemble d’interaction et d’interdépendance. Omoté et Ura sont intimement liés à la théorie du Yin /Yang qui découle de celle du Ki (Qi) et du Do (Tao). Dans la société japonaise. Omoté et Ura qui désignent respectivement l’endroit - le recto - et l’envers- le verso- ce sont des termes qui caractérisent la double structure de la mentalité japonaise : la façade (Tatamaé) – principe de convenance sociale - et la vérité individuelle (Honné). Le côté « envers », ura, est le plus important, il a un caractère formel et codifié, c’est ce que l’on ne dit pas officiellement mais c’est ce qu’il faut comprendre.
In Praise of Shadows: Ancient Japanese Aesthetics and Why Every Technology Is a Technology of Thought – Brain Pickings By Maria Popova At least since Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, we’ve seen shadows as a metaphor for the illusory and wicked aspects of life, for that which we must eradicate in order to illuminate the truth and inherent goodness of existence. And yet we forget that the darkness they cast evidences the light — palpable proof without which we might not appreciate or even notice the radiance itself. The 1933 gem In Praise of Shadows (public library) by Japanese literary titan Junichiro Tanizaki (July 24, 1886–July 30, 1965) belongs to that special order of slim, enormously powerful books that enchant the lay reader with an esoteric subject, leaving a lifelong imprint on the imagination — rare masterpieces like Robin Wall Kimmerer’s love letter to moss and Glenn Kurtz’s paean to the pleasures of playing guitar. Tanizaki, translated here by Thomas J. At the heart of this philosophy is a fundamental cultural polarity. It would surely have had a tufted end like our writing brush.
Wabi Sabi: An Unusual Children’s Book Based on the Japanese Philosophy of Finding Beauty in Imperfection and Impermanence Wabi sabi is a beautiful Japanese concept that has no direct translation in English. Both an aesthetic and a worldview, it connotes a way of living that finds beauty in imperfection and accepts the natural cycle of growth and decay. Wabi Sabi is also the title of a fantastic 2008 picture-book by Mark Reibstein, with original artwork by acclaimed Chinese children’s book illustrator Ed Young, exploring this wonderful sensibility through the story of a cat who gets lost in her hometown of Kyoto only to find herself in the process. (For, lest we forget, we only find ourselves by getting lost.) The book reads like a scroll, from top to bottom, and features a haiku and a Japanese verse on each spread, adorned with Young’s beautifully textured artwork. Reibstein paints a historical backdrop: A true wabi sabi story lies behind the book: When Young first received the assignment, he created a series of beautifully simple images.
The Ancient Japanese | History | Articles Jomon Period: 10,000 B.C. – 400 BC Stable living patterns began to appear in Japan with the arrival of the Jomon people around 10,000 B.C. People during this period began to make open-pit fired clay vessels and decorated them with patterns made by pressing wet clay with unbraided or braided sticks and plaited cord. The pottery techniques of the Jomon were very advanced and characteristic of Neolithic cultures although the Jomon were a Mesolithic, Middle Stone Age, people. The Jomon period is typically divided into six different eras; the Incipient, Initial, Early, Middle, Late, and Final periods. Incipient Jomon: 10,000 B.C. - 8,000 B.C.The only archaeological evidence found for the Incipient Jomon era is pottery fragments found in the Kanto plain. Initial Jomon: 8,000 B.C. - 5,000 B.C.Pots were produced for cooking and boiling food. Early Jomon: 5,000 B.C. - 2,500 B.C.During this period, the average global temperature was 4-6 degrees Fahrenheit higher than today's temperature.
Japanese Traditional Music | Culture | Articles Traditional Japanese music usually refers to Japan's historical folk music. One of the defining characteristics of traditional Japanese music is its sparse rhythm. Regular chords are also absent. It is impossible for a person to beat time to the music. Traditional Japanese music has three main types, instrumental, court music, and theatrical. Some traditional Japanese music originated in other countries. which are popular in Japanese music first came from China. Japanese music has a long tradition and great diversity.