Handbook of Japanese Mythology by Michael Ashkenazi

Handbook of Japanese Mythology by Michael Ashkenazi

Ashkenazi avoids the mistake of treating Japanese myths as mere entertainment or disjointed ghost stories. He organizes the handbook into distinct, academic sections designed to help readers unpack the "why" behind the legends:

1. Introduction to the Japanese Supernatural

The book begins by laying the historical and religious foundations of the archipelago. Ashkenazi carefully unpacks the complex, centuries-long synchronization between indigenous Shintoism (the animistic worship of nature spirits) and imported Buddhism, as well as the ethical influences of Confucianism and Taoism.

2. Mythic Time and Space

The text constructs a chronological framework for a mythology that is often deeply non-linear:

• The Age of the Gods (Kami-yo): The primordial creation of the Japanese islands by Izanagi and Izanami, the birth of the sun goddess Amaterasu, and the banishment of her storm-god brother Susanoo.

• The Transition to the Heroic Age: The descent of Ninigi (Amaterasu’s grandson) to earth to establish the imperial line, bringing with him the Three Sacred Treasures.

• The Myth-History Continuum: How early historical emperors and legendary warriors (like Yamato Takeru) were actively mythologized into divine figures.

1. The Nature of Kami

The book carefully dismantles the common Western practice of translating kami simply as "gods." Ashkenazi explains that a kami is not an omnipotent creator like the Abrahamic God, nor is it a highly anthropomorphic personality like the Greek Olympians. A kami is any force, entity, or phenomenon that evokes a sense of awe (kamae)—ranging from a majestic waterfall or an oddly shaped rock to a powerful storm or the spirit of a deceased emperor.

2. Pollution (Kegare) vs. Purification (Harae)

The handbook emphasizes that Japanese mythic morality is not built around a rigid concept of "sin" or "moral evil" in the Western sense. Instead, the central tension lies between purity and impurity/pollution (kegare). Contact with death, blood, disease, or social discord brings spiritual pollution, which threatens the community. Therefore, the vast majority of mythic actions and ritual cycles focus entirely on restoration through cleansing and purification ceremonies.

Language: English.

Genre: Mythology.

Binding: সেলাই করা বাইন্ডিং

Quality: Premium Quality Books.

Printing: High Quality Printing.

Paper: Eye Friendly paper (Cream White)

Cover: Matt cover (Paperback).