The sixth-century Hata no Kawakatsu was one of the key figures of his time. He was an influential ally of the devout Buddhist Prince Shōtoku, credited with the spread of the new religion in Japan. As a member of the … Read the rest
Category: Folklore (Page 4 of 6)
News of a new translation of a Japanese folklore book by the most important figure of the twentieth century, Yanagita Kunio (1875 – 1962). His groundbreaking work did much to uncover the beliefs of ordinary Japanese, rather than those of … Read the rest
Green Shinto is delighted to present a learned article by Australian academic, Jann Williams, who has been exploring the use of elements in Japan. In the article below, she looks in particular at why Shinto uses certain colours for … Read the rest
What on earth does St Patrick’s Day have to do with Shinto, you may well be wondering? Well, one aspect that caught my attention concerning the celebration of Ireland day was the matter of snakes. Look at the following by … Read the rest
In this article Mark Booth (aka Jonathan Black), author of the bestselling The Secret History of the World and The Sacred History, explores the significance of autumn to spiritual life.
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Stories of the Fall By Jonathan Black
The … Read the rest
Though they are few in number now, the Ainu of Hokkaido have great appeal to some because of their ancient traditions. Ethnologists believe they are the remnant of Japan’s original Jomon people, and their spiritual heritage reaches far … Read the rest
Green Shinto has featured before the writings of naturalist Kevin Short, who combines his research of Japanese flora and fauna with explorations into folklore. In a recent column for the Japan News, which can be accessed here, … Read the rest