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Yakudoshi

One Shinto tradition that seems less well-known outside Japan is that of “Yakudoshi”. These are years (doshi) when people are thought to be particularly susceptible to misfortune (yaku). For men, they happen at the ages of 25, 42, and 61, while for women they are at 19, 33, and 37. These are both measured by “counted years”, according to which you are born at the age of one, and become two at the first January 1st after that.  There are a lot of theories about the original meaning of these… Read More »Yakudoshi

The Missing Myths

There are many myths in the Kojiki and Nihonshoki. However, one class of myths is notable by their absence. There are no myths of great floods, or of the world being overturned in a great earthquake, or of a volcanic eruption. Even when we do get a myth about the kami cursing the population, the curse is an epidemic. As with most absences, this is hard to notice, but once I did, it struck me as in need of explanation. If there was ever a country that you would expect… Read More »The Missing Myths

Another Oversight Council Meeting

On October 24th, Jinja Honchō held the regular autumn meeting of its Oversight Council. A couple of years ago, I commented that these meetings used to be boring events at which everything was rubber stamped without debate, but that things had changed! Now, they are boring because everyone argues about the presidency, and no progress is made… OK, that is slightly unfair. As normal, all the resolutions necessary to keep Jinja Honchō going were passed, without any noticeable opposition. A regulation needed to be changed as a result of Tsurugaoka… Read More »Another Oversight Council Meeting

Harvest and the Kan’namësai

The October 21st and 28th issues of Jinja Shinpō included numerous articles on harvest matsuri and the related Kan’namësai, a matsuri celebrated at Isë Jingū. The harvest matsuri are called “nukiho” or “nuiho” matsuri. Both readings are written the same way, with characters that mean “pull out rice”, and this may mean that the origins of the tradition go back to before rice was harvested with sickles. Whatever may be the truth of that, sickles are used now. Nukiho matsuri are carried out at the actual rice field, with the… Read More »Harvest and the Kan’namësai

Responding to the Judgement

As I said in my last post, the Supreme Court has now ruled on the question of who is the president of Jinja Honchō, and has ruled that it is not Revd Ashihara. Jinja Honchō and their lawyer have issued statements in response to this, as reported in the October 28th issue of Jinja Shinpō. They do not appear to be seeking compromise and reconciliation. Let us start with the legal side. Jinja Honchō’s lawyer claims that the court decision makes it clear that the president is effectively appointed by… Read More »Responding to the Judgement

Supreme Court Decision

On October 2nd, the Japanese Supreme Court issued its judgement in the case over the disputed presidency of Jinja Honchō. The court decided that the plaintiff (Revd Ashihara, who wanted the courts to confirm that he was the president of Jinja Honchō) could not appeal to the Supreme Court, because the grounds of his appeal did not meet the conditions for such an appeal in a civil case. Strictly speaking, then, they said nothing about the content of the case, but the decision means that the judgement of the lower… Read More »Supreme Court Decision