Japanese mythology facts for kids
Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that includes Shinto and Buddhist traditions. The Shinto religion alone has a very big number of kami (Japanese for "gods" or "spirits").
Most Japanese myths, as generally known today, are based on the Kojiki, Nihonshoki and some other books. The Kojiki or "Record of Ancient Things" is the oldest known book of myths, legends, and history of Japan. The Shintoshu explains origins of Japanese gods and goddesses from a Buddhist point of view while the Hotsuma Tsutae has a very different version of mythology.
One notable thing of Japanese mythology is that it explains the origin of the Imperial family, and assigned them divinity. The Japanese word for the Emperor of Japan, tennō (天皇), means "heavenly emperor".
Related pages
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Japanese Mythology & Folklore |
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Mythic Texts and Folktales: |
Images for kids
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Amaterasu emerges from the cave.
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Jimmu Tennō
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Ninigi otokawa, great-grandfather of Jimmu Tennō
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Ryujin: Ruler of Seas and Tides LACMA M.91.250.287
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See also
In Spanish: Mitología japonesa para niños
