The drama of myths are particularly wellsuited to provide the scaffolding for teenage stories, whether focused coming of age or romance and adventure. The book reveals the origins of japans myths in the very different realms of buddhism, shinto, and folklore, and explores related mythologies of the ainu and okinawan cultures and recent myths arising from japans encounters with. Just like these 9 books inspired from the lives of our gods, but twisted in a way that will call out to you to add them to your reading list. Fushimi inaritaisha is an ancient shrine, founded in 711, making it one of kyotos oldest and most significant places. What is a good book about japanese mythology and other cultures. It is thought that this story was made to scare children into cleaning their bathrooms. The samguk yusa memorabilia of the three kingdoms is one of the best and oldest collection of myths and folktales in korea. Japanese divinities simple english wikipedia, the free. Eventually, japanese literature has developed into a separate style, although the influence of chinese literature and classical chinese remained, it was that. By purchasing books through this website, you support our nonprofit organization. I really want to know more about japanese mythology, but i dont know where to look.
Theres a bewildering array of books out there on greek mythology, especially at the beginner level. The book is easy to read, and at the same time immensely informative on the complicated and varied ways yokai have existed throughout japanese history. Ideas to get kids excited about mythology from around the world. Japanese mythology by juliet piggott and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
It was written by the buddhist monk ilyeon in the th century during the goryeo dynasty. Most of the surviving japanese myths are recorded in the kojiki compiled 712. They are generally considered to be foreign in origin, perhaps introduced into japan from china along with buddhism. As it is often said that there are yaoyorozunokami or 8 million kami a representation of an infinite number, it would be impossible to list them all major kami. This list last updated in april of 2019 was written with the intention of helping you make that decision. Titles in abcclios handbooks of world mythology handbook of arab mythology, hasan elshamy handbook of celtic mythology, joseph falaky nagy handbook of classical mythology, william f. The book reveals the origins of japans myths in the very different realms of buddhism, shinto, and folklore, and explores related mythologies of the ainu and. The greek myths by robert graves 1956 gods and heroes of ancient greece by gustav schwab 1837 gods, heroes and men of ancient greece by w. Score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. In a world thought to have been createdand nearly destroyedby the primordial gods izanagi and izanami, mythic heroes battled ferocious dragons and giant spiders, while ordinary bamboo cutters and farmers made unexpected contact with the supernatural. Rouse 1934 bulfinchs mythology originally published as three volumes by thomas bulfinch 1855. Readers of japanese mythology will learn the history of myths, as well as their deeper meaning. You can get it directly here myths and legends of japan the most popular myths and legends of japanese culture are charmingly retold in english in this.
Japanese myths stand out in in the study of mythology in that they often do not subscribe to many of the common featuresstory arcs that are shared among other world mythologies. Explore captivating myths of japanese deities, yokai, heroes and heroines the. Japanese mythology a to z, second edition is a valuable, colorful reference for anyone with an interest in mythology or japanese culture. Michael ashkenazis handbook of japanese mythology is an expert study that deserves a prominent place on the shelves of many japanophiles, including those devoted to religious studies and such early sources as the kojiki and nihongi, as well as those who more broadly study the roots of world myth. The following is a list of some of the major and minor deities in shinto. Handbook of japanese mythology makes it easy to travel this vast yet littleknown mythological landscape. Japanese mythology ebook by jim ollhoff nook book ebook. It can only be seen at night in large cities, hopping like a rabbit and searching for human souls to steal. Every book ive seen on their mythology either has only one star on barnes and noble, or only 32 pages, which cant possibly teach me anything. If youve already immersed yourself in the kinds of beginnerlevel books that that article recommends and you find yourself wanting to go further into the ancient mythology and religion of the norse, this list is for you.
There are also some books on japanese mythology on amazon, so check those out for a more thorough version of these myths. What are the best books in english about japanese mythology. Nuedori nuebird described as a birdbeast, the nue lacks any avian physical features. A primary source is a work that is being studied, or that provides firsthand or direct evidence on a topic. Different people find greek mythology to be meaningful for different reasons. Buy a cheap copy of japanese mythology book by juliet piggott. Whether youre obsessed with greek myths or intrigued by japanese folklore, this list is sure to have a title or two that can offer a great introduction to these beloved stories across the world. Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that includes shinto and buddhist traditions. Fantasy, magical realism, mythic fiction, historic fiction, or general fiction based in japanese mythology. The 10 best greek mythology books norse mythology for. Handbook of japanese mythology handbooks of world mythology author. Buy handbook of japanese mythology handbooks of world mythology by michael ashkenazi isbn. It is likely that the legend of the nue started with a chinese bird.
Oni, in japanese folklore, a type of demonic creature often of giant size, great strength, and fearful appearance. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Common types of primary sources include works of literature, historical documents, original philosophical writings, and religious texts. The japanese satan enmaoo emma oh hell king is actually the ainu god of. Commonly called uzume, she is the goddess of dawn and revelry, instrumental to the missing sun. Unknown binding january 1, 1975 see all formats and editions hide other formats and editions.
The songlines by bruce chatwin 1987 greek mythology. The best fantastical japanese mythology books anime. Greek mythology this is a wikipedia book, a collection of wikipedia articles that can be easily saved, imported by an external electronic rendering service, and ordered as. The main shrine building stands at the foot of mount inari, with the iconic red torii gatelined path winding up to the peak behind it. Ive been getting reinterested in the various mythologies thanks to neil gaimans norse mythology book, and wanted to read. Apr, 2020 greek and roman mythology is part of the u. Japanese mythology is a collection of traditional stories, folktales, and beliefs that emerged in.
Yamata no orochi is one of my favorite and more traditional stories. Early works of japanese literature were heavily influenced by cultural contact with china and chinese literature, often written in classical chinese. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Now weve put together a list the best japanese mythology books for you to really get a glimpse into some of the best stories, characters, and yokai lurking in every corner of japanese history. Indian literature also had an influences through the separation of buddhism in japan. While it doesnt look that different from a normal pig, it s unable to cast a shadow, and has glowing red eyes and only one ear. Hermodr in hel from an 18thcentury icelandic manuscript. What are some good books i can get on japanese mythology. Japanese gods, too numerous to count, are known collectively as yaoyorozunokamigamithe eight million. From the ruler of the heavens amaterasu to ryujin, the dragonking of the sea, this book helps kids understand the myths that shape and direct peoples lives. An introductory guide to the mythology of japanone of the most pervasive yet least understood facets of japanese culture.
Handbook of japanese mythology by michael ashkenazi. Japanese mythology simple english wikipedia, the free. Japanese mythology and millions of other books are available for instant. Retellings of classic stories and folklore are easy to find no matter what genre you love to read, and the possibilities are endless.
This article picks up where my original list of the 10 best norse mythology books leaves off. A captivating guide to japanese folklore, myths, fairy tales, yokai, heroes and heroines explore captivating myths of japanese deities. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. Handbook of japanese mythology linkedin slideshare. Studies in japanese folklore, 1963 online research. Japanese mythology, body of stories compiled from oral traditions concerning the legends, gods, ceremonies, customs, practices, and historical accounts of the japanese people. The book of yokai is a fascinating and enormously informative study. Oh, and on a random note about japanese mythology and the ainu. The japanese culture and arts have been strongly influenced by a widespread belief in ghosts, demons and supernatural spirits. Though oni have been depicted in various ways in japanese legend and art, sometimes also. The kojiki or record of ancient things is the oldest known book of myths, legends, and history of japan. The shinto religion alone has many kami japanese for gods or spirits most japanese myths, as generally known today, are based on the kojiki, nihonshoki and some other books. Hansen handbook of egyptian mythology, geraldine pinch handbook of hindu mythology, george. Japanese mythology by judith piggott library of the worlds myths and legends.
A captivating guide to japanese folklore, myths, fairy tales, yokai, heroes and heroines explore captivating myths of japanese deities, yokai, heroes and heroines the study of mythology and folklore is a peculiar one to the ext. Which ones are most deserving of your hardearned money. A field guide to japanese yokai yokai series book 1. It exists largely outside the japanese yokai canon, best known from the tale of the heike 71 the kanji for the word nue are night and bird. The classic stories of mythology have been repeatedly mined for inspiration and reinterpreted for modern times, and have been an ongoing trend in young adult literature. Shadow of the fox by julie kagawa, red winter by annette marie, flame in the mist by renee ahdieh, kinslayer by jay. Cruel and malicious, they can, nevertheless, be converted to buddhism. Metrobooks, 1997 new larousse encyclopedia of mythology translated by richard aldington and delano ames. Try different genres to see if it gets your kids excited too. The most popular myths and legends of japanese culture are charmingly retold in english in this handsomely illustrated book. Discusses the mythology of japan, its origins in shintoism and buddhism, and the gods, spirits, men, and animals that appear in the many legends and stories. Add to that, that the best stories are created when facts merge with imagination, leaving us with history, mythology and an exciting story.
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