Myth Of Japanese Mythology

1145 Words3 Pages

The desire to explain the unknown is deeply rooted in the make-up of humanity. What one does not know evinces fear, but also opens a realm of endless possibility that can be manipulated and explained through individual and societal understandings of the truth. Throughout time the human understanding of the truism and science has changed much like the evolution of existence in terms of thresholds. The beauty of this fact is relevant when exploring the cognizance of the universe through the lens of Japanese myth. The culture of the mythology is an essence entwined with religion, which makes for a spiritual and grounded connection to the land and it’s properties. The Buddhist and Shinto religion combined form an inherent connection to time and space in which the Japanese people honor, reference, and mold their knowledge of history. The myths of Japan are a reflection of not only religious terminology, but also the Gods in which the people pray to and worship in temples and shrines. The teachings of Buddha and living within the means of inviolability are held up through myth and a great respect for nature is vital to the infrastructure of the rich culture and linguistic aspects of the stories. The vast domain of stories braided with religion paints a unique picture of origin and meaning that can be explored and organized into thresholds one through eight plus the future.

Thresholds one through four outline the very beginning of the universe including the formation of the planets, stars, and earth its self. The Japanese creation myth starts out by saying that the universe was only chaos and there was nothing before it until the Shinto “kami’s” or spirits created the world. Male Izanagi and female Izanami are sent down and created ...

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...the myth-themes of Japan I realized how stories could erase boundaries and unlock cultural understandings. A person could never step foot on the island of Japan, but could get a glimpse of the truths of it’s people through reading. The origin of our universe and humanities place on it is inherent in mythology, and the text on a page or computer screen can serve as a new pair of eyes. Vision is not confined to the eyes because it can be expressed through various forms, and I have come to believe that writing uncovers and shapes the truths of the universe even if it does not make sense scientifically. The combination of Shinto and Buddhist faiths form the mythology of Japan in a spiritual manifestation. The tales of the Gods, deities, kami’s, and origins of the universe as we know it can be organized in the thresholds to show Japans unique version of history or myth.

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