#Nihonshoki

[noticiasarquelogicasjaponesas]

Sean bienvenidos mis queridos fanáticosarqueológicos a una nueva entrega de prehistoria Japónesa en esta ocasión nos trasladamos a la pregunta ¿Cuándo se originó el sintoísmo?. - Aunque parezca raro es una religión que se conformo durante el periódo Jōmon (17.500-300), para ser exactos a finales de dicho período y continua hasta nuestros días los dioses del sintoísmo, se les llama Kamis ( dios) ya que para los japoneses todo tenía un dios las montañas, ríos. - El sintoísmo tiene influencias chinas, coreanas de hay que tenga similitudes con el taoísmo, ¿Qué dos libros recogen la categoría de los Kamis? Son el Kojiki(713d.c) y el Nihonshoki(720d.c). - Espero que os guste y nos vemos en una próxima públicacion un cordial saludo. 🇯🇵 私の愛する考古学ファンを日本の先史時代の新作に歓迎します。今回は、神道がいつ始まったのかという質問に移ります。 - 奇妙に思えるかもしれませんが、縄文時代（17500-300）に形成された宗教であり、正確にはその時代の終わりに、今日まで神道の神であり、カミス（神）と呼ばれています。 日本人にとって、山や川にはすべて神がいました。 - 神道は中国、韓国の影響を受けており、道教との類似点があります。 カミスのカテゴリーに分類される2冊の本は何ですか？ こうじき（713d.c）と日本書紀（720d.c）です。 - よろしくお願いします。次の出版物で心からのご挨拶を申し上げます。 🇬🇧 Welcome my dear archaeological fans to a new installment of Japanese prehistory, this time we move to the question, when did Shintoism originate? - Although it may seem strange, it is a religion that was formed during the Jōmon period (17500-300), to be exact at the end of that period and continues to this day the gods of Shintoism, they are called Kamis (god) since for the Japanese everything the mountains and rivers had a god. - Shintoism has Chinese, Korean influences, and there are similarities with Taoism. What two books are classified under the category of the Kamis? They are the Kojiki (713d.c) and the Nihonshoki (720d.c). - I hope you like it and see you in a next publication a cordial greeting.

[whencyclopedfr]

Époque de Nara

L'Époque de Nara (Nara Jidai) de l'ancien Japon (710-794), appelée ainsi parce que pendant la majeure partie de cette période, la capitale était située à Nara, alors connue sous le nom de Heijokyo, fut une courte période de transition avant l'importante période de Heian. Malgré sa brièveté, cette période produisit tout de même les œuvres littéraires japonaises les plus célèbres jamais écrites et certains des temples les plus importants encore utilisés aujourd'hui, notamment à Todaiji, le plus grand bâtiment en bois du monde à l'époque, qui abrite toujours la plus grande statue en bronze de Bouddha jamais réalisée.

Lire la suite...

[localsya]

i fucking hate weeb culture u all i had to jump over 10 pages of google to find decent informative sources about kitsunes and shinto religion for yuna lore because all the main pages where either anime or the 348976458379564897 hypersexualized deviantart edgelords

[yuseirra]

HEY!! I think the gods REALLY have to do with Ai and Hikaru!!! (theory)

I've been looking into Ame-no-Uzume, Amaterasu and Sarutahiko's lores as of recently and the gods Ame-no-uzume and Sarutahiko have really similar dynamic with Ai and Hikaru right...

Well, remember that time in onk when the characters all went to pray at the Aratate shrine in Miyazaki for good luck? That shrine worships Ame-no-uzume, and it's mentioned in CH 74 and 79. When it's mentioned the first time, Aqua's reaction towards the name Amenouzumeno-mikoto is rather weird... he says he knows about her "really well"... why is he like that towards the name? That bugged me when I first read it and it still does too. Since he's aware of the gods actually being in existence, he could have encountered things that have to do with her, wouldn't it?

Anyway, I looked up the name of the shrine and guess what??

That region is associated with all three gods, Amaterasu, Sarutakhiko and Ame-no-Uzume. It's where the legends related to them took place, and the shrine HAS to do with not just Amenouzume but her Husband, they are worshipped together in that particular shrine. The place is also where the twins lived and passed and where the hospital Gorou worked in's located. This could be why the names "Amaterasu" and "Ame-no-uzume"'s been brought up, they really have to do with the story in some way.

Here's the description of the shrine found from the link below:

"A shrine that is often visited by celebrities, Aratate shrine is said to bring good fortune in show business and marriage. This shrine is dedicated to Sarutahikono-mikoto and his wife Amenouzumeno-mikoto who gave directions to Ninigino-mikoto the grandson of the sun goddess upon his descension from the heavens."

This must have some significance to the story.

Yeah, I bet Hikaru's name came from that god who's the husband of Amenouzume, and I looked more into this god, he's always worshipped with his wife. There's another shrine that's dedicated to him in the Ise region:

"Sarutahiko-JinjaShrine is also located within the precincts of Sarutahiko Shrine, facing the main shrine. Amenouzume-no-mikoto, enshrined at Sarume-JinjaShrine, is known as a god that brings good fortune in the entertainment industry and marriage, and is visited by many celebrities."

The common aspect these shrines share with one another is that they bless the people in the entertainment industry. More like Sarutakahiko blesses the land in general, with his wife bringing good fortune to the people related to the arts since she's the god of the arts. Anyhow, they seem to be really close, huh, it's kind of cute to see people always allowing them to be together and dedicating a place for her in his shrines.

And what Sarutahiko does or is supposed to do is to "guide things in the right direction".

I brought the original text for this in case the auto-translation gets off:

猿田彦神社にまつられている猿田彦大神（さるたひこのおおかみ）は、古事記や日本書紀にも登場する神様です。

天照大神（あまてらすおおみかみ）の孫である瓊瓊杵尊(ににぎのみこと)を地上の世界まで道案内したと伝えられ、物事のはじまりに道しるべとなって、何事も良い方向へと導いてくださる「みちひらき」の神様として知られています。

It translates to this:

Sarutahiko is the deity enshrined at Sarutahiko Shrine, and is mentioned in the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters) and Nihonshoki (Chronicles of Japan).

He is said to have guided Ninigi no Mikoto, a grandson of Amaterasu no Mikami, to the earthly world, and is known as the god of “Michi-Hiraki” who guides us in the right direction at the beginning of things.

So he's supposed to be the god that maintains order.

Ring a bell? I've mentioned this in the other theories I posted yesterday, but if there is really a god that deals with "absurdity and unreasonableness", this is the guy they would try to get at. He's the one that'd get in their way of things.

I think Ai really could be "Amenouzume", she's the one who's brought Ruby to her new life, the way that goddess brought Amaterasu out from the cave she retreated into. And if she's amenouzume, or at least is an incarnation/blessed by her, she has to be paired with her husband who's always worshipped together with her. Ai has a boyfriend she had children with, and his name just awfully screams he has to do with a god in some way, especially the one that deals with light. Sarutahiko EMITS light. His other name (I'm so sorry for saying this for like 100th time in a row) is "god of the bright lights". It seems like they have a loving relationship from the lores I read about them.

If you look at it from a neutral standpoint, Hikaru's life's been a series of suffering just one after another. And I keep looking at him, his personality actually still doesn't seem that twisted after all he's been through. He's too meek. I was really keen on how this guy'd turn out to be like because he was really suspicious right? but every time he makes an appearance, it does seem like he has something on his mind but it doesn't seem like he is even capable of showing any type of aggression to the extent it feels almost surreal. Why doesn't he show any anger towards others when he's clearly been continuously mistreated? It's sad because maybe people could be like that, but I still feel the level is very extreme. He should have resented people. He could have turned bitter. Distant. Selfish. He should have screamed and lashed out but he only smiles and accepts and stays quiet. I don't sense any negativity or hostility towards other people in the way he acts so far and I studied psychology. I have a feeling Ai's really chosen a super sweet guy to love. This guy is awfully kind in nature. Am I going to be wrong about this? But I want to get it out there, he seems like a genuinely good person. Too kind for his own good. If that is what's so, then the reason WHY Ai would want to help him makes a lot of sense to me. It's strange... At this point it'd make more sense for me if he REALLY turned out to be some god.

I think something's really after him to disrupt balance, wouldn't THAT be a good reason to force the gods to step in? The plot of onk must be involving/related to these three gods at a minimum. There's been SOMETHING that's been thrown out there, it's been brushed off or unthought of because it's too absurd and fantasy-like, but I think it can be important!!

There is also another thing I noted: yesterday I found Ame-no-uzume belongs in the "Amatsukamis", 天津神(あまつかみ). The gods from the skies-

Her husband Sarutahiko isn't. He belongs in the "Kunitsukamis" 国津神(くにつかみ) and belongs on the land.

If Ai is compared to a "star", He's been compared to a "jewel". That analogy makes sense, actually, since jewels belong on the land even while they shine. So he's actually NOT a star in essence like Ai. If Ai returns to being a star, he cannot reach her from where he is because they originate from different places. Hence, the lyrics of Mephisto starts making a lot of sense. No matter how hard he tries, she's out of his grasp.

So I'm guessing he could have been tricked or lured into the hopes of being allowed to meet Ai again/that she could be brought back to life by ANOTHER "STAR". Probably a god that belongs in the Amatsukami category.

It all clicks really well for me but I wonder if the writers really thought of all this.. Of course, whatever they'd thought up would be way more detailed and in-depth than I, but I mean in terms of the direction of the story. I could be way off about this, but it actually works!! This idea that even if they were to be gods, they STILL wouldn't be able to meet if they returned back to where they came-that's a really clever set-up, if their lore really has to do with this. I'd be impressed if that's really what's been going on.

Anyhow I'm pretty sure Hikaru's been doing something to bring Ai back... I really want that to be discussed if that's really what's been happening. In that case, he gave up on what he'd been desiring for over a decade, on the spot, to respect her wishes. That's selfless of him... but just how many lines did he cross? How much wrong did he commit?? I need this guy to be expanded upon but will it? I guess if that happens he could take all the spotlight so, but I still want to know what's going about around him. There's so much weird stuff that's been happening around this guy and it doesn't seem like a coincidence.

That's it for now~ I'll draw something based on this idea! :) The lore between Amenouzume and her husband was very cute. When I look them up, the tour guides and stuff always seem to portray them as a happy couple and I like that. I like the fact she approached him first too~.. of course, I should do more research if I wanted to know about them better and I could be wrong, but.. I love reading about myths and folklores of different countries and I love seeing couples that get along well. They seem to have a lot of descendants too~

Those gods seem to love people a lot and do a lot of favors for them, there are purification rituals, protective spells, a lot of good fortune in general. They even bless marriages and you can actually get wed in the sarutahiko shrine, it says (well, the gods were married themselves so makes sense)

If Ai and Hikaru's really them, I see why they love people because that's how they've always been. Regardless if they are, or if they aren't.. I hope they will be happy somehow.

[amemenojaku]

for the character ask prompt! what about Keiki?

General opinion/How much I care about them: She's a very solid character and surely part of the reason why WBaWC feels like one of the most-liked recent games! When the full version came out a lot of my friends and mutuals who were past touhou fans but had lost their interest came back thanks to that game specifically, so in my brain she's linked to that moment of shared happiness. I like how she's very much a classic god in terms of personality while being easier to reach than the others thanks to her role to the human spirits. I feel like she'd be easy to talk with, as long as you don't forget she's still a god of course, and I really like characters who act as a bridge of sort between others. She's also definitely unhinged under all that and it's fun to imagine situations where the politeness just goes out of the window.

A ship I love: (puts on my clown makeup again) My favorite Keiki ship is with Okina..... It's pretty high up there in my fav touhou pairings overall too lol. They're both loners and I tend to really enjoy romantic pairings where two people get to feel a bit less lonely together. I just think they'd get along really well! and I like their shared connection to art in general. The two of them crafting something special together is a nice image... It's also funny to imagine Keiki playing along Okina's boasting about her status and her powers as a secret god etc when Keiki is a god herself. She's Keiki's poor little meow meow!!! Oh and I also quite like Keiki/Mayumi too. I wish the fanon interpretation of them as parent/child would die down already... it's a bit sad that they didn't take off on the english speaking side as well as they did in the jp community even though literally everyone asks for more knight/princess wlw ships. It's Right There

A non-romantic relationship that I love: Gotta admit I haven't thought about her sphere of relationships much beyond the ones that also work as romances, but I love the implication that she's Eika's younger sibling if you follow the mythos. Keiki would probably be quite protective of Eika despite being the little sister... And with the recent addition of Hisami I'm really excited to see more fanworks with the characters based on the Nihonshoki/Kojiki (this better not monkeypaw on me). They need to have tea and chat about the old times!!!

The NOTP: It's Yachie/Keiki, sorry guys but I'm a yachisaki believer.....

My biggest headcanon about them: I'm pretty sure I've already mentioned that one in the past but the beast-shaped aura in her portrait looks like a familiar to me! Maybe some kind of fire spirit to help her crafting :)

An idea for a fanwork I would like to make/see about them: I'd like to read a good fic/comic where she interacts with the other beast leaders seriously... I'm so sad she didn't get proper dialogue with Saki or Yuuma despite them being as much of a threat as Yachie. As for something I would like to make myself... A visual retelling of some of Koda Rohan's works (especially Furyubutsu) but with Keiki as the protag is an idea I've had for 2-3 years but if I ever get to it, it'll probably just be little doodles :-)

Something that makes me think of them: Koda Rohan's work again lol (delusional)

[demonslayedher]

HI! Buriko-senpai, lately ive been to interested in japan and its whole history (one of the reasons being your blog because its so fascinating how much of kny is connected to japanese folklore and history) so i wanted to know if you would have some recs for me to learn japanese or its history... though its fine if it cant be answered bc this isnt much of a kny ask, still, thank you for inspiring me to learn about japanese culture and also throw me down the rabbit hole that is kny (❤´艸｀❤)

Sup!! So glad I can inspire aspiring Japanese folklorists/aficionados/scholars! Or weebs, that's fine, let's own that term. And that totally is one of the things I love about KnY, it has so many connections to real life culture and lore!

When it comes to learning a language, the first step is asking yourself your goals. If you want to attain professional fluency you can expect to devote a lot of time and money to serious language acquisition, but if you want to be conversational and make friends, this is easier to do through dedicated self-study. It's also okay to just want to know travel basics, and to forget them all after taking a trip abroad! I've always taken hardcore textbook routes with the languages I wanted to hardcore acquire, and I've never used Duolingo or Rosetta Stone but I've liked Mango for gaining conversational travel phrases (which I made good use of while traveling and then forgot everything after traveling). What I suggest for self-study is finding an audio-course which you may be able to find at your local library, like Pimsleur, so you can play it on repeat and mimic and respond to what you hear. If you want an app for the writing system, I liked KanjiBox back in the day, and prior to that I used Tuttle Language Library kana/kanji workbooks. And for my other personal tips on language, see here! My tips do include active listening while watching anime. As for Japanese history, bill wurtz already has you covered in nine minutes, but gaining a general image of the different times periods and their order helps to build a framework for appreciating anime set in different time periods, as well as to tie famous places and people to their context. To take it further and fill in gaps in understanding, timelines of events can help, as long as they are focused on what will aid your understanding as opposed to, say, cramming for a Nerd Test. Wikipedia rabbit holes of bios of historical figures are also lots and lots and lots of fun.

As for deeper explorations of cultural topics and the history behind them, I've got my old blog about San-in region stories and adventures but it looks horrific with the Photobucket watermark all over everything. That said, you should still be able to download the silly and educational Kojiki mythology comics to avoid those watermarks, though. (Do note that my focus was only myths which took place in the San-in region, so like, a third of them, but not the whole Kojiki/Nihonshoki/Fudoki.)* *On this note, if I could ask Gotouge one question, it would be, "Did you happen to see my drawing of Kagutsuchi and did that influence the spirits inside Tanjiro's inner space????"

As for places I recently enjoy gaining insights, two of my go-to YouTube channels for this lately are Linfamy (watch out for dirty jokes everywhere, though I find his wording hilarious) and Let's Ask Shogo (I like how his explanations are straightforward and clear for general audiences, but still rich with detail).

Something that's been fun with the KnY phenomena is that it brings out all the nerds, and I learn so much from people putting out unofficial KnY books to introduce more of their knowledge specialties just because they can frame it with a KnY focus, or theorists who see connections in canon with existing lore that don't stand out to me. Part of the reason writing this blog is fun is because I get to bridge the language gap and tell people in the English speaking fandom cool things that people are saying in the Japanese fandom!

[royumijapon]

Katana-kaji — Master Japanese Swordsmiths

Katana-kaji , the master craftsman who makes the wonderful Japanese katana or tohken swords. It is possible to trace the origin of tohken to the Kojiki (Archives of the Ancient Masters) and Nihonshoki (The oldest chronicles of Japan) texts. These were considered sacred treasures rather than a weapon, offered to deities at shrines, and placed in the tombs of royals.

The Japanese katana evolved into its current form during the second half of the Heian period (11th century) with the growth of the warrior or samurai class. Even then, the naga-yari (Japanese spear) and yumi-ya (bow and arrows) were the most common weapons on the battlefield, while swords were considered more of a protective amulet, an omamori . Today, katanas still have a similar use, ceremonial gifts at temples and shrines, and collectible treasures for fans of Japanese luxury crafts. A Katana-kaji must train for years to receive a certificate from the Japan Agency for Cultural Affairs. There are only about 300 katana-kaji masters in all of Japan.

A Katana-kaji begins the process of making a katana by creating the metal for the blade, or Jigane . Steel pieces called tama-hagane are made from powdered iron. These break into smaller pieces to be heated and form a larger piece. Continuously and repeatedly heated and struck, stretched and bent, as the steel begins to take the shape of the sword. This 900-year-old technique, called tanren , continues virtually unchanged, creating jiigane of great strength and extraordinary texture.

Continue Reading >>>

[japaneseshrine]

Kashihara Shrine approach

Kashihara Shrine is dedicated to the first emperor, Emperor Jimmu.

Emperor Jimmu is said to be the first emperor who founded Japan in Japanese mythology. According to the Kojiki and Nihonshoki, Emperor Jinmu ascended to the throne in 660 BC, becoming the first emperor in Japanese history.

Emperor Jinmu is said to have unified Japan and pacified the country with the power of gods without weapons. When Emperor Jinmu ascended to the throne, Japan was ruled by many powerful clans, and Emperor Jinmu united them to create Japan's first dynasty.

Torii of Kashihara Shrine

Kashihara Jingu once occupied an important position as a national Shinto shrine, but since Shinto and Buddhism were separated after the war, it is operated as a general religious corporation. Around Kashihara Jingu, there are many cultural assets such as historical sites from the Kofun period and Horyu-ji Temple, the oldest temple in Japan, and it is registered as a World Heritage Site.

Kashihara Jingu is a very important place for those who are interested in Japanese history, culture and religion, and many people come to worship. In addition, the shrine itself is surrounded by beautiful architecture and nature, making it a popular tourist spot.

[onna-musha]

“Empress Jingu conquering the three korean kingdoms”, (1885), Adachi Ginko (active 1874-1875)

Print from the series: “A short illustrated history of great japan”.

[buri-art]

Shinto Myths in Comic Form

I lived in Japan’s San’in Region (home to the famous Izumo Taisha and the stage of about a third of the Kojiki myths) 2012-2016, during which time I wrote a dedicated blog about the region, but the blog is now mostly defunct due to technical difficulties. I undertook a major project doing research on the local myths, traveling to the spots where they took place (hunting for obscure shrines in the middle of nowhere, ah, what great memories), and writing English language comics about the myths. The purpose was to educate, entertain, and promote the relatively unknown but wonderful region as a tourism destination. This was not a purely academic project, but my comics and illustrations have been used in a lot of academic projects. As such, I’d like them to still be available to the world, and am sharing the link to the zipped folder of them here. 

PLEASE ENJOY, SHARE, AND USE THEM AS YOU PLEASE.  Download link: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1p21R8NlurABfGRSZAtu4pUAyDuUEzQ-d

Stories included:  Story 1: To Yomi and Back Again Based on Kuni-umi, Kami-umi, & Yomi-no-Kuni Houmon

Story 2: Intoxicating the Serpent Based on Yamata-no-Orochi Taiji

Story 3: The Hairless Hare of Inaba Based on Inaba no Shiro-Usagi

Story 4: Heave, ho! Kuni, ko! ~Based on the Izumo-no-Kuni Fudoki myth Kunibiki~

Story 5: Fatal and Fateful Trials Based on Yasogami no Hakugai & Ne-no-Kuni Houmon

Story 6: Beauty and the Crocasharkagator ~ Based on the Izumo-no-Kuni Fudoki myth Shitaiyama~

Story 7: Growing Pains of the Land and Family Based on Okuninushi-no-mikoto no Tsumadoi & Sukunabikona-no-kami to Kuni-tsukuri ~PLUS!: Shichifukujin, some background info on the Seven Lucky Gods~

Story 8: Birth and Bright Light  ~ Based on the Izumo-no-Kuni Fudoki myth Sada-no-Okami Tanjou~

Story 9: Relinquishing the Land Based on Kuniyuzuri

Also included: photos from myth related sites.

[noticiasarquelogicasjaponesas]

Sean bienvenidos japonistasarqueológicos a una nueva entrega sintética de arqueología japonesa, en la cual hablaremos de el Túmulo funerario Kengushizuka, una vez dicho esto pónganse cómodos que empezamos. - El Túmulo funerario Kengushizuka, se localiza en Koe, pueblo de Asuka, distrito de Takaichi la prefectura de Nara, se construyó en el periodo Asuka lo que sería a finales del siglo VII. En el Nihon Shoki son las Crónicas de Japón en el que se afirma que en el 667d.c en el reinado de la emperatriz Saimei. - Espero que os haya gustado os deseo una buena semana y nos vemos en próximas publicaciones del país del sol naciente. - 日本の考古学者を迎えての新しい総合回です。今回は「牽牛子塚古墳」についてお話しします。どうぞごゆっくりとお過ごしください。 - 奈良県高市郡明日香村小江にある牽牛子塚古墳は、飛鳥時代、7世紀後半に築かれた古墳です。 日本書紀』には、西暦667年、斉明天皇の時代と記されている。 - 楽しんでいただけたなら幸いです。良い一週間をお過ごしいただき、日出ずる国から今後の出版物でお会いできることを祈ります。 - Welcome Japanese archaeologists to a new synthetic installment of Japanese archaeology, in which we will talk about the Kengushizuka burial mound, so make yourselves comfortable and let's get started. - The Kengushizuka burial mound, located in Koe, Asuka village, Takaichi district, Nara prefecture, was built in the Asuka period in the late 7th century. In the Nihon Shoki are the Chronicles of Japan in which it is stated that in 667 AD in the reign of Empress Saimei. - I hope you enjoyed it, I wish you a good week and see you in future publications from the land of the rising sun.

[voglioungufoartsblog]

This is for my Pirati!AU’s fanfiction. I hope you like it :D

[argothide]

Según @spoonandtamago el registro más antiguo de #incienso en #Japón se encuentra en los escritos del #Nihonshoki donde se afirma que la madera proviene de la isla de #Awaji en el mar de #seto un mar del interior del #Nippon datándose en el 720 AD y donde aún se conserva esta confección #japontradicional #japonantiguo #objetosreligiosos #nipposfera @spoontamago https://www.instagram.com/p/B8L_jufJe1f/?igshid=1gjjo3ybmjgyu

[satsumas-kunoichi]

Shirnaui just casually slides on in and lays down on Izumi's lap

It must have been a long day for Shiranui-sama if he had to resort to using her lap, of all people’s, as a pillow. “Are you feeling unwell… Shiranui-sama?”

[solradguy]

GG2OMC (ENGLISH): IZUNA - OYABIN’S TALE OF PAST AND PRESENT

Word Count: 1757 Warnings: None Chapter Index & Credits Page・ Mobile Friendly Version Archive.org download page (.PDF + uncompressed art scans)

Translator notes for all the cultural references are at the end of the post. 

There is a world that exists as a dimension completely different from the Backyard and this world, Earth. That world is separated from both this world and the Backyard, and impossible to come and go freely without the definition of the Backyard. This world has been a foreign land inhabited by many different inhuman beings since ancient times.

黄泉平坂. Yomotsuhirasaka. It is the most famous world of them all. Generally written as "黄泉比良坂," it appears in the old Japanese peoples’ ancient documents, Kojiki and Nihonshoki, as an imaginary land. Of course, it is a world created with longing and awe in the sense that it was a place beyond the reach of the people of that time.

What is noteworthy here is the fact that people at that time had the concept of a dimensional world different from the present world, such as the afterlife. In recent years, the existence of the Backyard was at last hypothesized, and in the course of this research the existence of a world inhabited by non-humans, such as Yomotsuhirasaka, was deduced and hypothesized to be a world in a different dimension than the Backyard.

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

“Hey, hey, Oyabin, Oyabin!” 

Nekomata played with her master’s hair while speaking to him. 

“...Hmm? What did you say?” 

The one who replied with lazy indifference was the popular Izuna, affectionately called "Oyabin" or "Oi-chan."

“Oyabin wears a lot of things, such as charms and sword crossguards, don't you? Hey, what's wrong?"

“I don’t know, I can’t remember. I've worn these for as long as I can remember.” 

“Hmm. Well, I wonder what it is then? Oh, this... this hairpin is cute!"

Nekomata fidgeted and then pulled on the hairpin.

"Ouch! That hurts, don't pull on it!”

Little Nekomata's cheeks puffed out in anger, but she soon forgot about it.

“Oh, I know. Tell me a fun story like you always do!"

It was a tranquil day. Izuna's daily routine was to tell stories to his fellow yokai, and the yokai would listen attentively to them.

“I guess I could. Right. We can talk about that today. Let’s see, we’ll start at a leisurely pace then, shall we?”

“Myeah~!” 

After seeing Nekomata's face break into a broad smile, Izuna calmly began to tell his story.

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It’s an old story now, right? There was this couple. The husband was a boorish, but serious and hardworking government official. The wife was also very kind and devoted to her husband. One day, the husband presented his wife with a beautiful wooden box. Then he told her that he was leaving on a mission. It was a dangerous job and he might not be able to return.

“Eep! So sudden... Is this a sad story?”

“Not really. Don't worry.”

“...Really?”

“Yeah, yeah.  Eh, now then, let’s be patient until the end, alright?”

“...Mm-hm!”

The wife asked her husband what his mission was. The husband's mission was to seal the nine "Killing Stones" scattered all over the country. The stones appeared when a certain yokai was exterminated. A high priest had smashed the stones before, and the pieces were scattered all over the country. The pieces then began to spread a poisonous mist around the area. The plants and trees in the area withered, and anyone who came close to them died from the deadly mist. It was said that the stones were spewing out the exterminated yokai’s hatred. 

“Mmmm. Is that a bad sign?”

“But, if you attach a talisman given by the emperor to a killing stone and pierce it with a sword on which a sutra is written, the evil spirit will disappear…”

“...Oh, really~? And then what?”

The husband came back with nine paper talismans and nine ornamental swords from the emperor. The wife thought, “If my husband goes off to war, he might not make it back alive.”

She did not want her husband to die.

“Mm, and then...?”

That night, after her husband went to bed, the wife took out the talismans and swords. Without them, her husband would not be able to go to war. Then, she thought, she should throw them away somewhere. It was a manifestation of her desire to save her husband and to not let him die.

“S-so what happened next, meow?” 

The wife decided to throw them into a nearby lake. She rowed a small boat to the center of the lake and was about to throw away the cloth-wrapped talismans and swords when...

...splash!

She slipped and fell into the lake!

“Meo-ahhhh!!!”

“Don’t be so loud, Nekomata!”

“But, but, but, but-!” 

“What do you think? Don't you want to hear the rest?”

“I don't want a sad story... But I'm so curious~”

“Well, shall we continue? The wife sank into the lake with the bundle. The end.”

“...What? That’s it?” 

“Mm, yeah.”

“It was a sad story after all. Oi-chan's a liar~!”

“Just kidding, just kidding. The next day, when the husband woke up, his wife was waiting for him with breakfast ready.”

"Huh? Huuuuuuhhhhh!!?? What, what, how?"

The husband quietly finished his meal and began to prepare for departure. However, he could not find his swords and the important talismans. When he asked his wife about them, she replied that she didn’t know. The earnest husband reported the situation to the emperor and asked for his judgment. The emperor did not say much, but ordered him to wait until replacement talismans and swords could be prepared.

“Ahh w-what the heck?”

It was a few days after that. Reports of the disappearance of the poisonous mist came one after another from various places where the rocks were scattered.

“Nya, fur real!?”

The result was so good that the husband was not blamed for losing the original swords and talismans and he lived happily together with his wife for a long time. This time, it's over and done with… for real!

“Happy ending? I feel cheated! ...Why is the wife still alive?”

“Well, who knows? Maybe there is no deep meaning in the old tales. But if Nekomata-chan is a good girl, she might get to find out.”

“Ohh!? I'll do my best!”

Oh, that's right. I forgot to mention; inside the gifted wooden box was a venerable hairpin given to the husband by the emperor. It was shaped like an ear of rice, made hundreds of years ago, it just adds to the mystery…

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The probability of humans perceiving the existence of a "gate" connecting the Backyard and Earth is close to zero. This is because the appearance of a gate in this world is extremely rare, and its range of appearance extends over the vast area of the entire universe, and the time before it vanishes again is irregular. It is not something that can be found by searching for it.

Such an astronomically low encounter rate was coincidental for the wife on this occasion. On her way down to the depths of the deep, dark lake, the wife encountered such a gateway to the Backyard and was swallowed. Her body was unable to withstand the external pressure of the Backyard, which boasted a high density of compressed information, and she fizzled out and disappeared in mere seconds.

Gods, demons, humans, yokai, and all other forms of life in this world are born with their existence equally defined in the Backyard. Izuna was no exception to this rule.

Originally, tsukumogami and yokai are deified after having their souls in some form of the 8 million things that can exist in the world, and after spending a hundred years or more with their shape fixed to their original form. Izuna, for example, is one of the tsukumogami that protect the island nation of Japan, which exists on the planet Earth in a certain galaxy. These phenomena are caused by rare irregularities that occur in the Backyard.

The "selection of possibilities" of the components of Izuna began to occur at a very early stage. At the stage when the approximate constituent elements had been determined, noise was introduced into the "information that constituted Izuna while his form solidified," and a change occurred in the structure. This is because the "strong thought of the wife for her husband" that remained as information in the Backyard even after the loss of her body accidentally rewrote Izuna's structural information when the irregularity occurred.

And the irregular structural transformation phenomenon consequently had a profound effect on the formation of Izuna's shape and personality. Izuna's soul was embodied in a gift the wife received from her husband before her death, a "hairpin shaped like an ear of rice.”

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※This work was written by the author [Yoji Ushizawa] based on ancient Japanese legends and folklore such as "The Fox of Nine Tails" and "The Killing Stone," with his own interpretation to match the worldview of the "Guilty Gear" series. Please note, the text does not necessarily follow the legitimate lore.

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TRANSLATOR NOTES:

Yomotsuhirasaka: The boundary between the world of the living and the world of the dead (yomi).

Kojiki: is a chronicle of myths, legends, hymns, genealogies, and oral traditions. It is the oldest surviving piece of Japanese literature.

Nihonshoki: Sometimes translated as “The Chronicles of Japan”;  the second-oldest book of classical Japanese history.

The Killing Stone (Sessho-seki) is a stone in the volcanic mountains of Japan that is famous for sulfurous hot springs and, in Japanese mythology, is said to kill anyone who comes into contact with it.

Tsukumogami are tools that have acquired a spirit or a kami. Foxes and tanuki, among other beings, that have lived for at least a hundred years and changed forms are considered tsukumogami. In modern times, this term can be written as 九十九神 (99 deities), which I accidentally translated it as previously. Special thanks to Volcanic Fighter (Discord) for the correction of this translation.

Explanation of the last part of this story: The Backyard is a dimension composed of raw, compressed, data. While Izuna was being given form within these data, the wife from the story fell through a hole in reality (located at the bottom of a lake)  and into the Backyard where her data mingled with Izuna’s, affecting both his physical form and personality. Her influence on Izuna manifested as the hairpin that her husband had gifted her. 

–

Chapter Index & Credits Page・ Mobile Friendly Version

[tempenensis]

Fantasy Cursed Objects Picture Book Deluxe [part 1 of 8]

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File 01 - Ryomen Sukuna's Finger

Data

Length: About one finger Weight: Unknown Location discovered : A Stevenson screen Grade : Special grade Danger level : ★★★★★

Huge Phobia! There are Human Faces in Sukuna's Finger!?

On the Finger of Ryomen Sukuna, it looks like there’s things like countless ivy entangled, and you can also see three empty holes looking like human faces in the joint. Maybe these are the appearance of weeping people and evil spirits at terminal stage who was attracted by Sukuna’s curse but instead captured by it…

Testimony of S-san from Occult Research Society of S High School

We were able to get testimony from S-san who touched the Special-grade cursed object directly. She and her friend I-san, who was together during the incident, even now are still active (?) in the Occult Research Society. By the way, at the time of the incident, the Occult Research Society seemed to have one other member, but they won’t talk about him.

Discovered in the Stevenson Screen of S High School!!

“In the hotel room of my destination, I found a talisman pasted behind the painting hung in the wall” Everyone certainly have ever heard this kind of anecdotes. Surely this item uses for exorcism must’ve been put away in the Stevenson screen with this kind of impression. Controlling curse using curse… however, as who and how they could obtain Sukuna’s finger is still a mystery

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The explosion that happened on S school in M prefecture a few days ago is still new to our memory. While it was covered as gas explosion, actually there's a rumor going on that a terrible grudge from a vengeful spirit is involved. The incident happened 30 years ago. Y-san who was a worker involved in the construction of S high school at the time went missing. Y-san who had a lot of debt was chased by debt collectors. Y-san was working on the rugby field at the time. When the construction finally completed, the people who used it one after another complained to be sick. Rumors like “A corpse is buried under the goal post” had also started to circulate, so a certain cursed object was installed in the school to ward off evil. And that cursed object turns out to be Ryoumen Sukuna’s finger. If you are a reader of this magazine, you must have known, Ryoumen Sukuna is a demon god who appeared in Hida during the period of Emperor Nintoku. It’s a legend that started from “Nihonshoki” and appeared in a lot of stories, he had two faces and 4 arms. If the explosion a few days ago was due to the impact of a psychic battle between the finger and the vengeful spirit happened at midnight… just thinking about it is so scary! This magazine will aim to continue investigating.

T/N: This is materials included as bonus from Jump Giga Autumn 2021. Yes, I know this is late, but I've just gotten the HD version so finally can read the text more clearly and been requested translation so that's why we're doing this now. There are 8 'files' and an extra page and we're doing it one by one. It was written like articles from a mystery magazine