Yūrei are the Japanese equivalents of “ghosts” from Western culture. The name is a combination of two different kanji: A question that frequently comes up when discussing yūrei is how they are distinct from yōkai—that is, how do yōkai and ghosts differ? A first hint comes from the fact that yōkai is made up of …
All about Yurei: Japanese Ghosts & Undead (+ Examples) Read More »
SHICHI FUKU JIN (Seven Gods of Luck). This assemblage of household divinities has been variously described, and to each of its number have been given more or less fanciful attributions by Western writers in their eagerness for classification, although the Japanese themselves give little information as to the properties which may have originally been considered …
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The Japanese creation myth: a few theoretical aspects. Japanese mythology, like the mythologies of many other peoples, knows nothing about a creation by fiat, but postulates the origin of things in spontaneous generation and their development by generative succession. The explanation of the origin of the universe through creation is grand; the myths of spontaneous …
Izanami and Izanagi: Myth of the Japanese Creation Gods Read More »
The Japanese have a very rich pantheon of gods, demons and monsters. Some of the most famous of these include Fujin and Raijin. In Japanese mythology, Fujin is the god of winds, while Raijin is the god of Thunder. The two were born out of the decaying body of Izanami, the female creator god, but …
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Fomorians vs Tuatha Dé Danann Just as the Olympians struggled with the Giants, the Æsir fought the Jötuns, and the Devas the Asuras, so there is warfare in the Celtic Gaelic spiritual world between two superhuman hosts, a battle of good versus evil if you will.
Goibniu, the Gaelic Hephaestus, who made the Tuatha Dé Dannan, the people of the goddess Danu, invulnerable and immortal with his magical mead, and was also the forger of their weapons. The name is derived from goban = smith. Goibniu was part of the triad of the gods of craftsmanship, alongside Luchtainé, the divine carpenter, …
Goibniu: Irish Celtic God of Blacksmithing and Beer Read More »
The goddess of war, whose name appears to mean scald-crow. She is depicted as a raven or a hooded crow. Bird-shaped, red mouthed and with a sharp countenance, the Badhbh was one aspect of the triad goddess the Morrighan, her other aspects being Macha and Nemhain. There are countless triple goddesses in Celtic and other pagan systems.
The most ancient Celtic or Irish divinity of whom we have any knowledge is Danu herself, the goddess from whom the whole hierarchy of gods received its name of Tuatha Dé Danann. She was the universal mother. Her husband is never mentioned by name, but one may assume him, from British analogies, to have been …
All about Nuada Airgetlam & His Sword (Celtic Mythology God) Read More »
Saruta-Hiko (or Saruta-Biko), is the deity who appeared from the Central Land of the Reed Plains to provide a guide to Ninigi-no-mikoto when he descended to rule the land. His name can be read as “Field-monkey prince.” Because the deity appeared at an eightfold crossroads, he is often viewed as the deity of crossroads; he …
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Who was Emperor Jimmu Tenno Jimmu Tenno is in Japanese legend and history, the first emperor of Japan and one of its greatest early heroes. According to legend, in 660 BCE, Jimmu established the Japanese imperial dynasty that has continued unbroken to this day, spanning the reign of 126 emperors and more than 2500 years. …
7 Obscure Facts about Jimmu Tenno: Japan’s First Emperor Read More »