Part of the series on Japanese Mythology

Divinities Kami & Megami, Seven Lucky Gods List of divinities in Japanese mythology Japanese mythology is a complex system of beliefs. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Amaterasu_cave_wide. ... Look up deity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Megami redirects here. ... The seven fortune gods (七福神, shichi fukujin) in Japan refer to the seven gods of good fortune in Japanese folklore: ; . They are often the subject of netsuke carvings and other representations. ... This is a list of divinities native to Japanese beliefs and religious traditions. ...

Legendary Creatures & Spirits Dragons, Obake, Yōkai, Yūrei List of legendary creatures in Japanese mythology A legendary creature is a mythical or fantastic creature (often known as fabulous creatures in historical literature). ... A manufactured image of a ghostly woman ascending a staircase. ... It has been suggested that Half dragon be merged into this article or section. ... Obake ), also called obakemono, are the traditional ghosts, goblins and monsters from Japanese folklore; the term is virtually the same as yōkai, and includes traditional goblins and monsters, and yÅ«rei, spirits of the human dead. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Obake. ... YÅ«rei (幽霊) are Japanese ghosts. ... The following is a list of RyÅ« (dragons), Yōkai, Obake and YÅ«rei which are notable in Japanese mythology and folklore. ...

Legendary Figures Abe no Seimei, Hidari Jingoro, Kintaro, Kuzunoha, Momotaro, Nezumi Kozo, Tamamo-no-Mae, Tomoe Gozen, Urashima Tarō A legend (Latin, legenda, things to be read) is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude. ... The Famous, the Unrivalled Hidari Jingoro (Meiyo migi ni teki nashi Hidari Jingoro); by Utagawa Kuniyoshi Hidari Jingoro (å·¦ 甚五郎 ひだり じんごろう) was a Japanese artist, sculptor and carpenter, active from 1596-1644. ... Kintaro (Golden Boy) is a hero from Japanese folklore. ... The kitsune Kuzunoha. ... Bisque doll of Momotaro Momotaro (peach boy) is a hero from Japanese folklore. ... Jirokichi the Rat or Nezumi Kozo, (次郎吉 or ねずみ小僧, the latter literally meaning rat boy, ?? - 1832) is a Japanese folk hero, a legendary benevolent outlaw similar to the English Robin Hood. ... Tamamo-no-Mae (玉藻前) is a legendary figure in Japanese mythology. ... A woodblock print of Tomoe Gozen in battle. ... Urashima Tarō ) is a Japanese fairy tale about a fisherman who rescues a turtle and is rewarded with a visit to the RyÅ«gÅ«-jō, the Dragon Palace. ...

Mythical & Sacred Locations Horai, Mt. Hiei, Mt. Fuji, Rashōmon, Ryugu-jo, Suzakumon, Takamagahara, Yomi A mythical place is a place that does not really exist but is accepted folklore or speculation that it might exist or might have existed in earlier times but its actual location is now lost. ... In various religions, sacred (from Latin, sacrum, sacrifice) or holy, objects, places or concepts are believed by followers to be intimately connected with the supernatural, or divinity, and are thus greatly revered. ... Horai is a place in Japanese mythology. ... Mount Hiei (Jp. ... Mount Fuji (富士山 Fuji-san, IPA: [ɸuʝisaɴ]) is the highest mountain on the island of Honshu and indeed in all of Japan. ... Marker at site of Rashōmon The Rashōmon (羅生門 or 羅城門 Rajōmon;the castle gate) was formerly the grandest of the two city gates of the Japanese city of Kyoto during the Heian period. ... In Japanese legend, Ryūgū-jō (竜宮城) is the undersea palace of Ryujin, the dragon god of the sea. ... The Suzakumon Gate was the main gate of the imperial palace in the Japanese ancient capital of Fujiwarakyō, Nara, and later Kyoto. ... Takama-ga-hara (Japanese: 高天原), or The High Plain of Heaven, is a place in Japanese mythology. ... Yomi (黄泉), the Japanese word for underworld in which horrible creatures guard the exits, is similar to Hades or hell and is most commonly known for Izanamis retreat to that place after her death. ...

Sacred Objects Amenonuhoko, Kusanagi, Tonbogiri Three Sacred Treasures The following is a list of sacred objects in Japanese mythology. ... Amanonuhoko (Lit. ... Kusanagi-no-tsurugi (Japanese: 草薙の剣) is a legendary Japanese sword as important to Japans history as Excalibur is to Britains. ... The Tonbogiri ) is one of three legendary spears created by the famed swordsmith Masamune, said to be wielded by the daimyo Honda Tadakatsu. ... A representation of the Imperial Regalia of Japan. ...

Writings Konjaju Monogatari, Kwaidan, Otogizoshi, Yotsuya Kaidan A Specimen of typeset fonts and languages, by William Caslon, letter founder; from the 1728 Cyclopaedia. ... Konjaku Monogatarishū (今昔物語集, kon present + jaku past + monogatari tale + shū collection) is a Japanese collection of over one thousand tales written during the late Heian Period (794-1192). ... Illustration from otogizōshi tale, published c. ... Yotsuya Kaidan (四つ谷怪談) is a Japanese ghost story. ...

Shinto & Buddhism Bon Festival, Tanabata Shinto() is the native religion of Japan and was once its state religion. ... Buddhism (also known as Buddha Dharma, Pali: बुद्ध धम्म, the teachings of the awakened one) is a dharmic, non-theistic religion, a way of life, a practical philosophy, and a life-enhancing system of applied psychology. ... Illuminated by the Albuquerque Bridge, Japanese volunteers place candle lit lanterns into the Sasebo River during the Obon festival. ... People dressed in yukata at Tanabata Tanabata ), meaning Seven Evenings) is a Japanese star festival, derived from Obon traditions and the Chinese star festival, Qi Xi. ...

Folklorists Glen Grant, Lafcadio Hearn, Shigeru Mizuki Folkloristics is the formal academic study of folklore such as fairy tales and folk mythology in oral or non-literary traditions. ... Glen Grant, looking through the window of his store, the Haunt, in a 2001 photo. ... Lafcadio Hearn, aka Koizumi Yakumo. ... Shigeru Mizuki Shigeru Mizuki ), born March 8, 1922 in Sakaiminato, Tottori) is a Japanese manga author, most known for his shonen Japanese horror manga Ge Ge Ge no Kitaro. ...

Abe no Seimei (安倍 晴明, Abe no Seimei^?) (921?-1005?) was an onmyoji, a leading specialist of onmyodo during the middle of the Heian Period in Japan. He is considered a legendary figure in Japanese mythology and history, and his legend has been portrayed in a number of stories and films. Events Embassy of Ahmad ibn Fadlan from Baghdad to the king of the Volga Bulgars on behalf of the Abbasid Caliph al-Muqtadir Henry the Fowler invades Bavaria and obtains fealty from Arnulf the Bad Births King Edmund I of England Onmyoji Abe no Seimei Deaths September 1 - Richard of... Events Malcolm II succeeds Kenneth III as king of Scotland. ... Onmyōdō (陰陽道, also Onyōdō) is a Chinese-influenced traditional Japanese cosmology, a mixture of natural science and occultism. ... The following text needs to be harmonized with text in the article History of Japan#Heian Period. ... Japanese mythology is a complex system of beliefs. ... History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei Pre-History/The Origin of History Jomon Period Main...

Seimei worked as an onmyoji for emperors and the Heian government, making calendars and advising on the spiritually correct way to deal with issues. He prayed for the well-being of emperors and the government as well as advising on various issues. He was also an astrologist and predicted astrological events. He enjoyed an extremely long life, free from any major illness, which contributed to the popular belief that he had mystical powers. Hand-coloured version of the anonymous Flammarion woodcut. ...

The Seimei shrine (晴明神社), located in Kyoto, is a popular shrine dedicated to him. The Abenobashi (Abe's Bridge) bridge and district, also in Kyoto, are named after him. This article is about the city Kyoto. ... Magical☆Shopping Arcade Abenobashi ) is a 13-episode Japanese TV series and manga from the famous anime studio Gainax; it is directed by Hiroyuki Yamaga. ...

Life

Front of the Seimei shrine in Kyoto.

His life is well recorded, and there is little question about it. But almost immediately after his death arose legends and myths much like those of Merlin. Many legends of Seimei were originally written in the Konjaku Monogatarishu; and in the Edo period, many fictional stories were written that focused on his heroic acts. Image File history File links Seimei_torii. ... Image File history File links Seimei_torii. ... A torii is a gate leading to a jinja. ... This article is about the city Kyoto. ... Merlin Ambrosius (Welsh: Myrddin Emrys (Merlin the Wise); also known as Myrddin Wyllt (Merlin the Wild), Merlin Caledonensis (Scottish Merlin), Merlinus, and Merlyn) is the personage best known as the mighty wizard featured in Arthurian legends, starting with Geoffrey of Monmouths Historia Regum Britanniae. ... Konjaku Monogatarishū (今昔物語集, kon present + jaku past + monogatari tale + shū collection) is a Japanese collection of over one thousand tales written during the late Heian Period (794-1192). ... The following text needs to be harmonized with text in the article History of Japan#Edo Period. ...

According to most prevailing myths, Abe no Seimei was not entirely human. He was the issue of a human father; and his mother, Kuzunoha, was a kitsune, a fox spirit. At a very early age, no later than five, he was able to command weak oni to do his bidding. His mother entrusted Seimei to Kamo no Tadayuki, a master of onmyodo, so that he would live a proper human life and not become evil himself. The kitsune Kuzunoha. ... A real kitsune, a Japanese subspecies of the red fox, in Hokkaido, Japan. ... nine-tailed fox, from the Qing edition of the Shan Hai Jing Fox spirits (狐狸精 hǔlijīng) in Chinese mythology are spirits of a fox type that are akin to European faeries, demons, or to the Japanese yōkai known as kitsune (Kumiho in Korean mythology). ... A statue of an Oni wielding a tetsubo. ...

The Heian period, especially the time when Seimei lived, was a time of peace. Many of his myths revolve around a series of magical battles with a rival, Ashiya Doman, who often tried to embarrass Seimei so that the former could usurp the latter's position. One noted story involved Doman and the young Seimei in a divination duel to reveal the contents of a particular box. Doman had another person put fifteen mandarin oranges into the box, with Doman "divining" that there were fifteen oranges in the box. Seimei, however, seeing through the ruse, transformed the oranges into rats, then stated that fifteen rats were in the box. When the contents were revealed, Doman was shocked and defeated, if only for the moment. This article is about the religious practice of divination. ... Satsuma Mandarin Orange The Mandarin orange is a small citrus tree (Citrus reticulata) with fruit resembling the orange. ... Species 50 species; see text *Several subfamilies of Muroids include animals called rats. ...

It has been said that Abe no Seimei had no children. It has also been said, with contradiction, that the onmyoji Abe no Yasuaki and Abe no Yasuchika were his son and grandson, respectively. Whether this was through adoption, or whether the story has some other meaning is unclear.

After Seimei's death the emperor had a shrine, the Seimei shrine, erected at the location of his home, where it stands today. A torii is a gate leading to a jinja. ...

Senji Ryakketsu

Abe no Seimei is credited with the writing of the Senji Ryakketsu, an onmyodo primer.

In fiction

Mansai Nomura as Seimei in the 2003 film Onmyoji II

His name appears in many works of fiction, often as a helpful, wise man, and rarely as an enemy. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (844x467, 65 KB) Mansai Nomura as Abe no Seimei in the 2003 film Onmyoji II This image is a screenshot from a copyrighted film, and the copyright for it is most likely owned by the studio which produced the film, and... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (844x467, 65 KB) Mansai Nomura as Abe no Seimei in the 2003 film Onmyoji II This image is a screenshot from a copyrighted film, and the copyright for it is most likely owned by the studio which produced the film, and... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Film is a term that encompasses motion pictures as individual projects, as well as the field in general. ... A movie was released in 2001 and brought to the US in 2004. ...

In 1994, Yumemakura Baku started a novel series named Onmyoji with Seimei portrayed as a handsome young adult male who lived in a Heian-period world populated with mysterious beings. This was turned into a manga by Reiko Okano and became popular with teenage girls. In 2002, an NHK television series was later made, based on the novels.[1]. 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... Reiko Okano (岡野 玲子) is a manga artist. ...

The movie Onmyoji, starring Mansai Nomura as Seimei, was released in 2001 (2004 in the U.S.) by Pioneer (now Geneon). In 2003, a sequel, Onmyoji II, was produced. Though they share the same name as the above series, the two franchises are unrelated; generally, the films are campier in tone. A movie was released in 2001 and brought to the US in 2004. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... United States is the current Good Article Collaboration of the week! Please help to improve this article to the highest of standards. ... Geneon, formerly known as Pioneer Entertainment (or Pioneer LDC) and also a former subsidiary of Pioneer Corporation, is a home entertainment production and distribution company. ... A sequel is a work of fiction in literature, film, and other creative works that is produced after a completed work, and is set in the same universe but at a later time. ... Camp is an aesthetic in which something has appeal because of its bad taste or ironic value. ...

To capitalize on the success of the Onmyoji films, Fuji Television produced a miniseiries in 2004, called Onmyoji: Abe no Seimei.[2] This series has no ties to either of the above two productions. The Fuji TV headquarters in Odaiba is known for its eccentric architecture. ...

Seimei can also be seen in the anime Magical☆Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, which was released in 2004 in the U.S. by ADV Films. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... ADV Films logo ADV Films is the home video publication arm of A.D. Vision based in Houston, Texas. ...

One of Seimei's rare appearances as a villain/anti-hero is in the anime series Otogizoshi. His alter ego is named Mansairaku, probably in homage to Mansai Nomura. This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ...

Another one of Seimei's appearances as a villain is in the 2005 anime Shin Getter Robo. (Where Shin translates to "New" as opposed to "True" - A very different Getter Robo series was produced in 1998 under the Shin (True) Getter Robo title. (Please see: Getter Robo: Armageddon)) Abe no Seimei appears as a powerful sorcerer inhabiting a castle and a surrounding township. He wields powerful magical abilities, has thousands of oni under his command, and can summon even larger oni with size on par with Getter Robo - evidently at will. After Ryoma and company defeat him in the time of ancient Heiankyo, he returns in the modern era, only to be effortlessly dispatched, courtesy of Getter Robo's upgraded Getter Reactor. His magical abilities falter in face of the activated Douji-Kirimaru. Near the end of the series, the four kami (Possibly the Four Heavenly Kings) inform Ryoma, Hayato, and Benkei that Abe no Seimei was an oni they had dispatched to destroy the Getter itself. Getter Robo (ゲッターロボ - Gettâ Robo) is a Super Robot anime series created by Go Nagai and Ken Ishikawa and produced by Toei Animation. ... It has been suggested that Four Guardian Gods be merged into this article or section. ...

He appears as a woman simply named Seimei, a heroine of Otogi 2, an Xbox video game. Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors an action RPG designed by From Software. ... Xbox is a sixth generation era video game console produced by Microsoft. ... Namcos Pac-Man was a hit, and became a cultural phenomenon. ...

In the PS2 game Kuon, Ashiya Doman and Abe no Seimei are featured as rivals, the latter as a female. The PlayStation 2 (PS2) ) is Sonys second video game console, the successor to the PlayStation and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3. ...

In the anime Harukanaru Toki no Naka de, Seimei appears as Abe no Yasuaki's creator and master. Again, he is portrayed as a powerful onmyoji. Harukanaru Toki no Naka de ) is an anime series. ...

In the story Teito Monogatari, the evil onmyoji, Kato Yasunori, claims to be a descendant of Seimei. Since it is believed that Abe no Seimei never passed on his characteristics to following generations, Kato is more credibly the descendant of the most powerful onmyoji in history. According to plot of Tokyo: The Last Megalopolis, Kato is supposed to really be the culmination of the dead, resentful souls of the onmyoji, striking out against the foreign invaders of Japan during the 1920s. Since Kato possesses so much power in the magic of onmyodo, it could even be inferred that he is actually an incarnation of Seimei's dark side. Teito Monogatari is a massive Japanese epic written by Hiroshi Aramata in 1971. ... The 1920s was a decade sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties, usually applied to America. ...

In the anime Spirit Warrior: Festival of the Ogres Revival, he appears as a ghost.

Hao Asakura in Shaman King (a manga and anime series) seems to be inspired by Abe no Seimei. Asakura Hao (麻倉葉王 Asakura Hao, also written as ハオ Hao), known as Zeke Asakura in the English anime, is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Shaman King. ... Shaman King (シャーマンキング Shāman Kingu) is both an anime series and a manga series by Hiroyuki Takei. ...

Abe no Masahiro of the novel, drama, and anime Shounen Onmyouji is portrayal of Abe no Seimei's grandson. Abe no Seimei also appears. Shounen Onmyouji ) is an anime television series adapted from a novel series, Shounen Onmyouji ). It began airing on the on October 03, 2006. ...

External references

• Seimei Shrine