World Mythology

Warrior-type guardians, often carrying bows and arrows. They are associated with dosojin, the protector of crossroads and other boundary areas. As the protectors of shrines they are known as kado-mori-no-kami.

Zocho is one of the Japanese guardians of the four cardinal directions. He is associated with the south.

The Lady of the Snow, the Snow Queen or Winter Ghost in Japanese mythology. Sometimes she appears as an earthly woman, marries and has children, but sometimes she will disappear in a white mist.

A Japanese saint whose spirit lives on to help people.

A famous Japanese hero, son of Yoshitomo who was murdered by a member of the Taira clan. Intent on avenging his father, Yoshitsune went into the woods where he was instructed in all the martial arts by the King of the Ten-gu demons. When he returned to society, he annihilated to Taira clan.

Japanese fairies. They are most often seen as birds, cranes or swans.

A famous Japanese hero. When a monster was discovered on top of the emperor’s palace, he slew it and was rewarded with of Lady Ayame’s hand. He also received the famous sword called shishi-o (”Master of Lions”).

In Japanese Shinto-belief, this is the underworld in which horrible creatures guard the exits. However, this is not exactly a place like other Hells where the souls of the deceased are tortured without hope of redemption. Yomi-no-kuni is more a place where the souls are cleansed. This particular view was introduced after Izanami’s descent into [...]

In Japanese myth, Yomi (”night-heart”) is the netherworld.

A sea-serpent from Japanese mythology. It lived in cave under the rocks of the Oki Island’s cost. Every year on the night of June 13, the serpent had to be offered a fair maiden. If this was refused, the creature would cause storms and destroy the fishing fleet. One year, a young girl, called Tokoyo, [...]