Mythology In Japanese Mythology

Myths that are passed on from generation to generation have been around for thousands of years. These stories that have been constantly retold are used as a mode of explanation and comprehension of the time period. They are a massive powerhouse in shaping a civilization’s culture (Sayre, 22). Some of the more specific roles that a myth withholds includes to further frame and show the beliefs of those existing in the prehistoric era and to explain popular rituals.

Similar myths and legends have been coexisting throughout the world, regardless of eastern and western cultures, and in different languages. Greek myth is probably the world’s most famous and beloved than any other tale of legends stories. Surprisingly, Greek myth and Japanese myth share many similarities in the creation of the world and legend stories through their mythologies. Japan’s Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters) is a collection of Japanese historical records as well as Japanese mythologies, in which the legend explains the creation of the world and birth of deities. However, Greek mythologies, on the other hand, do not have an official written record of mythologies or religious text like the Bible or the Kojiki, but earliest story-teller like Homer and Hesiod shared richest sources in poems, attempt to explain the beginning of the universe in human language.

The Yami have a unique mythology that functions both as the structure and law of their culture as well as serving as a history of the ancestors for the family recites it; in other words, what is called the 'Song of the Ancestors' is different or each family that recites it, and as far back as how the people got there in the myths may be different between village to village, or family to family. "Inez de Beauclair calls the Yami creation myths "genealogical stories" (1974, 56).” (quoted cp 5). The Yami have myths covering similar topics that are common to most ancient mythologies- the first men, the how and why of settlements emerged, the existence and uses of many plants animals and objects, and what the Yami's relationships

When the average person thinks of mythology, they are most likely to think about archaic stories about gods and heroes with fantastic powers and histories. While living in our technologically advanced time period, these myths that we learn about were once common teachings in ancient lands used to explain natural phenomenon and teach moral standards to people. As fantastic as the stories of myth sound like, many people dismiss them and assume these stories of fantasy no longer play a role in out modern-day lives. What most people do not realize, however, is that many aspects of myth are still involved with the

Griffin, Jr., Bryan N. “Why Mythology is Still important Today.” ParmaObserver, vol. 5, issue 2, 1 Feb. 2013.

As with the other form of symbolic expression, myths are connected to something which is supernatural and sacred with the concrete and mundane. Myths, in fact, gives diverse of functions such as they may serve cultural histories, implying past events, for example; migration; early form of organization; and natural occurrence such as meteor showers, eclipses or floods. In other word, myths often “compose a conservative,socializing power whose role is to consecrate existing institutions and strengthen the values of sociality” (Hiatt, 1975, 5).

Kojiki is the earliest Japanese story which emphasizes the divine origins and the succession to prove emperors’ of yamato appropriateness as rulers.

Japanese mythology and folklore make up an extremely large portion of the Shinto religion, of which approximately 2,700,001 people follow worldwide (Pew Research Center). What has kept people fastened to this religion as opposed to the larger faiths such as: Christianity, Buddhism, and Hindus? The majority of people who are researching different religions do not look at less common religions such as this one. Shinto is a series of Japanese myths and folktales that are still passed from parent to child. Japanese myths and folklore were passed around orally until 712 AD. When the Kojiki, Records of Ancient Matters, was written; now anyone can access several of those such as the Creation Story and Momotaro

Japan during the earliest parts of its pre-modern history was a nation forged and made great by the end of a blade, from the earliest era dubbed; the Jōmon Period, that indicated the necessity of motes around individual villages, to the most famous period of Japanese history commonly referred to as feudal Japan wherein the Onin War and the Sengoku Jidai took place, each lasting generations. It is from this ceaseless unrest that the Japanese military culture began to take shape, cultivate, evolve and eventually consume every aspect of Japanese life including the design philosophy of some of its most beloved and treasured monuments.

Greek mythology denotes to the myths of the early Greeks, Greece gods, and mythical creatures. While pertaining to these legends and myths includes; to their Gods, the nature and heroes, tales of clashes, and of their adventures. It is also a brief on the origin and connotation of their cult, and the innumerable practices that remained shadowed by them. Myth is defined as; a traditional, typically historic story pertaining to mystic beings, descendants, or heroes that serve an essential kind in the worldview of a people, as by enlightening specific characteristics of the natural domain or delineating the psychology, customs, or ideals of society. While Greek mythology has remained variously understood and examined ever since the beginnings, such as its origins of Greek myths branches from the fact of, until the poets similar Greek poets such as Hesiod and Homer, equally who became acknowledged in about the eighth century B.C. (Before Christ), while the communication of myths was primarily an oral transactions through stories and conversations. Hesiod’s Theogony and Works and Days, in addition to Homers Iliad and Odyssey, are the oldest existing written foundations to Greek mythological elements in each and can be dated to a much prior period. Many scholars also acknowledge the specific aspects of the writings have a definite Near Eastern parallels, but the extent to which parallels indicate that Near Eastern myths serve as a source of Greek myths remains problematic of

Japan’s ancient religion, Shinto, has been an influence in the way that Japanese view nature. “Starting about 500 BCE (or earlier) it was originally "an amorphous mix of nature worship, fertility cults, divination techniques, hero worship, and shamanism”” (Robinson). Japanese have learned from religion to respect, nurture and be gentle to nature. They believe that “all human life and human nature is sacred” (Robinson). Nature to them is an art; a way of living. “Kami are the spirits or phenomena that are worshiped in the religion of Shinto. They are elements in nature, animals…” (“Kami”). Japan has grown from Shinto to honor nature.

The exact origins of myths are unknown and have been changed or altered because myths were passed on orally before the invention of writing (Barnett 6). As stated by Barnett, “They developed and changed in the telling according to the customs, tastes, and needs of the tellers” (6).

How is the word myth used popularly? For example, what does the statement, “It’s a myth” mean? In contrast, how is the word myth used in the academic context? After considering the definition in your textbooks and course materials, write a definition in your own words.

Chinese mythology has several distinctive qualities, one of the most individual is the fact that Chinese myths are very concise: a single myth might only be one page long, but tells a story that could take up two or more pages. For example, the sentence, “The Wise Old Man at the River Bend stopped the foolish old man ” shows an entire short scene. Japanese myths, on the other hand, are more story-like in their structure, and they are told simply. In fact, the Japanese myths are told so simply and this author believes that they can be understood by children. Also Japanese myths have more of a definite beginning, middle, and end.

In many of tradition, a myth carries within it a sense of sacred tradition and primordial relation. These myths are also serving as model for chosen tradition. Myths are extremely complex cultural reality that can be approached and interpreted from various viewpoints. These viewpoints are often related to the whole of