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Japanese & Celtic Mythology

80 cards · 🇺🇸 English

The gods and myths of Japan and the Celtic peoples.

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Japanese mythology

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1Japanese mythology
A collection of traditional stories, folktales, and beliefs from the Japanese archipelago; Shinto traditions are its cornerstones, with influences from Chinese, Buddhist, and Hindu mythology
2Shinto
Japan's indigenous religion with a pantheon of uncountable kami (gods/spirits); still practiced today; originated in Japan with myths recorded in Kojiki and Nihon Shoki
3Kami
Japanese gods and spirits; uniquely numerous (at least eight million); varied in power; associated with natural phenomena; can take many shapes; the word can mean 'spirit' and all objects in nature have kami
4Kojiki
The 'Record of Ancient Matters' completed in A.D. 712; Japan's oldest surviving account of myths, legends, and history; transcribed in kanji during Empress Genshō's reign
5Nihon Shoki
Completed in A.D. 720; along with Kojiki, one of the two most referenced sources of Japanese mythology and prehistory; written under the Yamato state
6Amaterasu
The Sun goddess; born from Izanagi's eye during purification; divine ancestor of Emperor Jimmu and the imperial family; most important deity, whose importance had political ramifications for Yamato state
7Izanagi
Male creator deity; brother/husband of Izanami; created the first Japanese islands by dipping the jeweled spear Ame-no-nuhoko into primordial waters; father of Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo
8Izanami
Female creator deity; sister/wife of Izanagi; together they created the islands of Japan and many kami; died giving birth to Kagutsuchi (fire god); became ruler of Yomi (underworld)
9Kuniumi
The 'birth of the land'; the creation narrative of Japan's archipelago when Izanagi and Izanami created the islands
10Kamiumi
The 'birth of the deities'; when Izanagi and Izanami gave birth to the kami after creating the Japanese islands
11Ōyashima
The eight great islands of Japan created by Izanagi and Izanami: Awaji, Iyo (Shikoku), Oki, Tsukushi (Kyushu), Iki, Tsushima, Sado, and Yamato (Honshu)
12Ame-no-nuhoko
The 'Heavenly Jeweled Spear' given to Izanagi and Izanami; they used it to create the first island (Onogoro) by dipping it into primordial waters
13Susanoo
Storm god; born when Izanagi washed his face; brother of Amaterasu; his violent temper tantrum (smearing feces, skinning horses) scared Amaterasu into hiding in a cave
14Tsukuyomi
Moon god; born when Izanagi washed his face alongside Amaterasu and Susanoo; conflicts with his sister the Sun goddess explain why Sun and Moon don't appear together
15Myth of Amaterasu hiding in the cave
After Susanoo's brutal behavior in her home, Amaterasu hid in a cave, plunging the world into darkness; other kami lured her out with the erotic dance of Ame no Uzume and commotion
16Ame no Uzume
Goddess who performed an erotic dance to lure Amaterasu from her cave; exposed herself while dancing, creating such commotion that Amaterasu peeked out
17Yomi
The underworld in Japanese mythology; where Izanami went after death; Izanagi's journey there to rescue her explains the origins of the cycle of birth and death
18What happened when Izanagi visited Yomi?
He tried to rescue Izanami but disobeyed her order not to look at her; when he created a flame and saw her rotting, maggot-filled flesh, he fled in fear; she felt betrayed and tried to capture him
19Shikome
Horde of creatures in Yomi who pursued Izanagi when he fled; he used peaches to threaten and scare them off during his escape
20Kagutsuchi
Fire god; incarnation of fire; last child of Izanami whose flames killed her during birth; Izanagi murdered him in grief-driven anger; his corpse created even more gods
21Significance of purification in Japanese mythology
Central theme from creation myths onward; Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo were born during Izanagi's purification after visiting Yomi; purification rituals still function as important traditions today
22Emperor Jimmu
First Emperor of Japan; human descendant of Amaterasu; his ascension marked the 'Transition from Age of the Gods to Human Age'; conventionally dated to 660 B.C.; origin of the Imperial family
23Ninigi
Grandson of Amaterasu; great-grandfather of Emperor Jimmu; the imperial family claims descent through him from the sun goddess
24What political significance did Amaterasu have?
As sun goddess and imperial ancestor, her myth gave political legitimacy to the imperial family and Yamato state; helped when dealing with Korean influences who also had sun god ancestor myths
25Motoori Norinaga
Edo-period Japanese scholar who interpreted the Kojiki; his commentary, annotations, and use of alternate sources are studied today for their influence on current understanding of Japanese myths
26Jōmon, Yayoi, and Kofun periods
Three prehistoric eras of Japanese archipelago: Jōmon (first pottery), Yayoi (Korean influence), and Kofun (A.D. 250-600, Yamato kingdom artifacts)
27Ryujin
Ruler of the Seas; dragon god of the ocean; one of the kami who looks almost human in depictions found by archaeologists
28Momotarō
Peach Boy; mythic hero born from a peach for a childless couple; embodied courage and duty; went on journey to defeat oni who were kidnapping, raping, and pillaging his home island
29What role do peaches play in Japanese mythology?
Blessed fruit that appears in many myths; Izanagi used them to scare off shikome during escape from Yomi; Momotarō was born from a peach; they distract and protect in various stories
30Oni
Japanese demons or ogres; often depicted as violent creatures who kidnap, assault, and pillage; defeated by heroes like Momotarō