Questions tagged [japanese]
For questions about Japanese myths and legends.
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Are humans suppose to succeed gods in Far East mythologies?
Although this question is mostly inspired by video games, I'm searching for the cultural (mythological?) root of this "trope" (I lack a better term).
At this point, I encountered it multiple ...
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Should "obake" be understood to refer to shapeshifters, or rather to things that have been transformed?
In the tvtropes article on Youkai, the following remark is made on the meaning of "obake":
Obake is another Japanese word that can indicate some type of monster. Derived from the word for &...
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Are the Yoruba and Japanese pantheons the only ones to have an infinite increasing number of gods?
I know that the Yoruba and Japanese gods have basically an infinite number of gods since their pantheons continue to grow all the time but are there any other pantheons that do this?
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Why isn't Ninigi considered the first emperor of Japan?
Most references indicate that Amaterasu decided that Japan needed an emperor and she sent her grandson, Ninigi, to rule; however, they always refer to his grandson (great-grandson), Jimmu, as the ...
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Are there any beings from Norse Mythology that could be mistaken for a Kitsune (fox-person spirit)?
I'm starting a new Roleplaying campaign soon, and my character is norse/icelandic themed.
One of the other character is inspired by Kitsune.
I want to find out what, if anything, might my character ...
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Were the Nekomata bipedal?
The Japanese monster Nekōmata (猫また), which means "forked cat", was supposedly a two-tailed cat creature that lived in the mountains, but was originally a horribly mistreated house cat. I ...
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Were there ever any Kitsune considered to be Hero's or Protagonists of a story?
I'm trying to do some research into Kitsune's (and other fox spirits) but I am finding it difficult to find any named Kitsune apart from Tamamo-no-Mae whom has been shown to be quite villianous (...
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Where can I find a detailed description of the Akuma?
I've been trying to find information on the Akuma, the fire demon of Japanese folklore, for a manga I'm writing. But all of the sources I went to didn't provide enough detail. And I fear that without ...
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Is there an older name for Cecaelia?
Cecaelia is a modern term for a mermaid with an octopus lower body, instead of a fish. I have read that such legends come from ancient Native American and Japanese culture. Does anyone know their ...
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Is there a kami of Aokigahara?
I read on a site that Aokigahara have a kami, but when I search on I do not think anything about, does anyone know anything?
I also read once that kamis are affected by the energy of where they live, ...
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How did you survive my 100-step punch?
I remember from long ago a story about a martial artist, The Bully, who was renowned for his "100-step punch": if he lands the blow, you will die after taking 100 steps. One day another martial ...
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If the ox tiger is an unlucky direction, why build an entrance to it?
On the Oni Wikipedia, scrolled down to Demon Gate, it says that in Chinese Taoism and traditional Japanese esoteric cosmology (Onmyōdō), the direction northeast (though the wiki uses northeasterly) is ...
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What is the significance of soy beans in the Japanese custom of Setsubun?
During the Setsubun festival in February, it is customary to 'cast out' roasted soy beans and say,
"Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" ("鬼は外！福は内！", "Oni go out! Blessings come in!").
What is the ...
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Can kitsune die/be killed?
The closest thing I got from looking this up is a game. But I kind of need a non-modern interpretation answer for an idea I'm working on.
In the Edo period (1603–1867), kitsune were seen as witch ...
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Do fox-wives have to give birth under a tree?
Kitsune are born and give birth under a tree. The tree is then connected to the kitsune. The tree will gain power from the kitsune, never getting sick or being infested with worms or bug (don't know ...
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