Guest Author: Gwen

Japan Folklore: Miko

[:it]

Miko (巫女)

"Vergini del tempio"

Photo credits: pinterest.com

Abbiamo visto questa figura in diversi anime: Rei Hino aka la coraggiosa Sailor Mars di Bishōjo senshi Sērā Mūn, la misteriosa Kikyō di Inuyasha, oppure le simpatiche gemelle Hiiragi di Lucky Star.

Tutti questi personaggi avevano in comune la stessa occupazione: erano miko, quelle fanciulle che si prestano a tuttofare nei templi Shintoisti gestendo varie funzioni. Troviamo quindi le miko impegnate ad aiutare il  sacerdote nelle sue funzioni, a tenere pulito il tempio e a raccogliere le offerte dei fedeli.

Definire questa figura secondo canoni occidentali è molto difficile. Le miko non sono assimilabili alle suore Cristiane, né sono dei veri e proprio Sacerdoti, benché nello Shintoismo è possibile che tale funzione sia ricoperta anche da una donna. Sono più simili forse agli oracoli dell’antica Grecia, o a delle sciamane, dato che nell’antichità a loro era data la possibilità di comunicare con i kami,  divinità Shintoiste. Entrando in trance, esse potevano intercedere presso gli dei per poi comunicare il loro volere agli uomini. Le loro doti divinatorie e la loro capacità di comunicare con il mondo degli spiriti erano riconosciute come volere Divino.

Le origini

Photo credits: dannychoo.com

La loro origine risale al periodo Jōmon, la Preistoria Giapponese, che va da circa il 10000 a.C. al 300 a.C. Una delle menzioni più antiche e storicamente accertate di qualcosa si simile alla parola miko si ritrova nel nome della regina sciamana Himiko (175 circa – 248). Ella era la  regnante dello Yamatai, il più potente tra i regni in cui era suddiviso il Giappone arcaico. Non sappiamo però se Himiko fosse una miko o meno.

La parola ‘miko’ è composta dai kanji 巫 ("shamano, vergine non sposata"),  e 女 ("donna"), e generalmente viene tradotto come ‘vergine del tempio’. Anticamente era scritto come  神子 “Bambino di dio” o “Bambino divino”.

La forte connessione con le divinità era data anche dal fatto che le miko ballavano il Kagura (神楽), letteralmente "Intrattenimento per gli dei o musica degli dei". Questa è un’antica danza sacra Shintoista che affonda le sue radici folklore giapponese legandosi alla dea dell’alba Ama-no-Uzume. Si dice infatti che la dea con questa danza riuscì a convincere Amaterasu, la dea del sole, ad uscire dalla caverna in cui si era rifugiata dopo aver litigato con il fratello Susanoo, il dio della tempesta.

La danza kagura veniva spesso presentata anche presso la corte imperiale da quelle miko che di fatto erano viste come le discendenti della dea Ama-no-Uzume.

Nell’antichità, le miko erano erano figure sociali essenziali, ed era questo un ruolo che prevedeva  grossi impegni e responsabilità. La loro discendenza e connessione con il divino le identificava come messaggere del volere del kami, ma non solo. Le poneva infatti anche nella posizione di influenzare la vita sociale e politica, e di fatto quindi le sorti del villaggio presso cui prestavano servizio.

Attraversarono però una notevole crisi a partire soprattutto dal periodo Kamakura (1118-1333). Si cominciò infatti a porre un freno alle loro pratiche sciamaniche e le miko, senza più fondi, furono costrette a mendicare.  Alcune scivolarono tristemente verso la prostituzione.

Dopo un periodo di grandi trasformazioni in epoca Edo, nel 1873, per volere del “Dipartimento degli Affari Religiosi” (教部), fu emanato un editto chiamato Miko Kindanrei (巫女禁断令). Esso proibiva ogni pratica spirituale alle giovani miko.

Come si diventava miko?

Photo credits: thirteensatlas.wordpress.com

Il percorso per diventare miko era lungo e difficile. Scelta dal clan  in base alla propria forza spirituale o per discendenza diretta da una sciamana, la fanciulla iniziava la sua preparazione in giovane età, in genere con il primo mestruo.  Ci volevano dai tre ai sette anni di per diventare una vera miko.

Le ragazze erano solite lavarsi in acque gelide, praticare l’astinenza, e compiere altri riti come atti di purificazione. Il tutto era volto a imparare a controllare il suo stato di trance.

Imparavano una lingua segreta che solo loro e gli altri sciamani conoscevano, e dovevano conoscere il nome di ogni kami rilevante per il loro villaggio. Imparavano anche l’arte divinatoria della chiaroveggenza e le danze per poter entrare in stato di trance  e parlare con le divinità.

Al completamento di questo percorso si svolgeva una cerimonia che simbolicamente rappresentava il matrimonio tra la miko e il kami che avrebbe servito. Vestita con un abito bianco che ne rappresentava la vita precedente, la fanciulla entrava in uno stato di trance e le veniva chiesto quale kami avrebbe servito. Dopo di che, le veniva tirato un dolcetto di riso sul viso provocandone lo svenimento. Veniva poi adagiata in un letto caldo fino al suo risveglio, quando avrebbe vestito un kimono colorato per indicare l’avvenuto matrimonio tra lei e la divinità.

In virtù di questo legame con la divinità le giovani dovevano restare vergini. Ci sono state però miko con una particolare forza spirituale che hanno potuto continuare il servizio anche dopo il loro matrimonio.

Le miko oggi

Photo credits: muza-chan.net

Oggigiorno la figura della miko esiste ancora ma sono per lo più giovani ragazze universitarie che lavorano part-time presso il tempio. Assistono il kannushi o  ‘uomo di dio’ nelle varie funzioni e riti del tempio, compiono danze cerimoniali, tengono pulito il tempio e vendono omikuji, fogli di carta cui è scritto una predizione divina. In genere non hanno bisogno di una preparazione specifica e non devono essere necessariamente vergini, anche se è ancora richiesto che siano non sposate. La danza kagura è divenuta una semplice danza cerimoniale e non più un mezzo per entrare in contatto con l’entità divina.

Il loro abito tradizionale e composto nella parte superiore da un haori bianco che ne rappresenta la purezza, e nella parte inferiore da un  hakama,  “pantalone” rosso fuoco. Rossi o bianchi sono anche i nastri che ne legano i capelli.

Durante le cerimonie usano campanelli, rametti di sakaki, o intonano preghiere suonando un tamburo. Tra gli altri oggetti rituali è presente anche lo azusa-yumi, un arco che veniva usato per cacciare via gli spiriti maligni. In passato usavano anche specchi per richiamare il kami o delle kataka.

Magari le miko hanno perso la loro connessione divina, ma non la tradizione millenaria che le lega alla cura del tempio, restando una delle figure femminili più famose del Giappone ancora ai giorni nostri.

Photo credits: pinterest.com
[:en]

Miko (巫女)

"The Shrine Maiden"

Photo credits: pinterest.com

We have seen them in many different anime: Rei Hino, the brave Sailor Mars from Bishōjo senshi Sērā Mūn, the mysterious Kikyō from Inuyasha, or the cheerful Hiiragi twins from Lucky Star.

All these characters shared the same occupation: they were miko, girls that serve as helpers in Shinto temples managing various functions. In fact, we find miko committed to helping the priest in his functions, they keep the temple clean and collect the offerings of worshippers.

Defining this figure by Western standards in very difficult. Miko are not comparable to Christian nun, nor are they actual Priests, even though in Shinto women are allowed to become priests. They are more similar to the oracles of ancient Greece, or to shamans, as in ancient times they were gifted with the possibility to talk with the kami, Shinto deities. By entering a state of trance, they could intercede with the gods and then communicate their will to the humans. These divinatory gifts and their ability to communicate with the world of the spirits were recognized as Divine will.

The origins

Photo credits: dannychoo.com

Their origin dates back to the Jōmon period, the Japanese Prehistory, which goes from around 10,000 BC. up to 300 AD. One of the earliest record of anything resembling the word ‘miko’ can be found in the name of the Shaman queen Himiko (c. 175 - 248). She was the ruler of the Yamatai, the most powerful among the kingdoms in which archaic Japan was divided. But we do not know if Himiko was a miko or not.

The word ‘miko’ is made of the kanji 巫 "shaman, unmarried virgin",  and 女 "woman", and it is generally translated as ‘Shrine maiden’. An archaic form of the word is  神子 “Divine child”.

Their strong connection with the deities is also testified by the fact that miko danced the kagura (神楽), literaly "god-entertainment” or “music for the gods". This is an ancient Shinto dance rooted in Japanese folklore that links to the goddess of dawn,  Ama-no-Uzume. It is said that with this dance the goddess  managed to convince Amaterasu, the goddess of sun, to leave the cave where she was hiding after quarreling  with her brother Susanoo, the god of the storm.

The kagura dance was often presented at the imperial court by those miko who were in fact seen as the descendants of Ama-no-Uzume.

In ancient times, miko were considered essential social figures, and this role meant great commitment and responsibility. Their divine bond identified them as messengers of the will of the kami, but not only this. It  also placed them in the position to influence the social and political life, and therefore the fate of the village where they served.

However, they underwent a considerable crisis starting mainly from the Kamakura period (1118-1333). In fact, there were attempts to try to take hold of their shamanic practices, and miko, without anymore funds, were forced into a state of mendicancy. Some of them sadly fell into prostitution.

After a period of great transformations during the Edo period, in 1873, the Religious Affairs Department  (教部) issued an edict called Miko Kindanrei (巫女禁断令). It prohibited all spiritual practices of young miko.

How to become a miko

Photo credits: thirteensatlas.wordpress.com

The path to become miko was long and difficult. Chosen by the clan on the basis of her spiritual strength, or because she wa a direct descent of a shaman, the girl began her preparation at a young age, usually with the first menstruation. It took three to seven years to become a full-fledged miko.

The girls would wash in cold water, practice abstinence, and perform other purification acts. Everything was aimed at learning how to control their state of trance.

They learned a secret language only known to shamans, and they also needed to learn the names of all the kami relevant to their village. They also learned the divinatory art of fortune-telling and the dances they needed to perform in order to enter the state of trance necessary to talk with the deity.

At the completion of this training there was a ceremony that symbolized the marriage between the miko and the kami she would serve. Dressed in a white robe that represented her previous life, the girl entered a state of trance and was asked which kami would she serve. After that, a rice cake was thrown at her face causing her to faint and she was laid down in a warm bed until she woke up. Then, she would wear a colorful kimono symbolizing her marriage with the deity .

Due to this bond with the deity, young girls had to remain virgin. Still, there were cases of miko with a particularly strong spiritual power that  continued their service even after marriage.

Miko today

Photo credits: muza-chan.net

Nowadays the figure of miko still exists but they are mostly young university girls who work part-time at the temple. They assist the kannushi or 'man of god' in the various functions and rites of the temple, perform ceremonial dances, keep the temple clean and sell omikuji, sheets of paper on which is written a divine prediction. They generally do not need any specific preparation and do not necessarily need to be virgins, though they are still required to be unmarried. The kagura dance has become a mere ceremonial dance and it is no longer a way of coming into contact with the divine entity.

Their traditional outfit consists of a white haori representing their pureness,  for the upper part of the body, and a pair of red hakama. Red or white are the ribbons in their hair.

During the ceremonies they use bells, sakaki branches, or offer prayers playing a drum.  Among other ritual objects there is also the azusa-yumi, a bow that was once used to ward off evil spirits. In the past they also used mirrors to attract the kami and katana.

Maybe miko have lost their divine bond, but they still retain the millenary tradition of taking care of the temple, remaining one the most famous figures of modern Japan.

Photo credits: pinterest.com
[:ja]

Miko (巫女)

"The Shrine Maiden"

Photo credits: pinterest.com

We have seen them in many different anime: Rei Hino, the brave Sailor Mars from Bishōjo senshi Sērā Mūn, the mysterious Kikyō from Inuyasha, or the cheerful Hiiragi twins from Lucky Star.

All these characters shared the same occupation: they were miko, girls that serve as helpers in Shinto temples managing various functions. In fact, we find miko committed to helping the priest in his functions, they keep the temple clean and collect the offerings of worshippers.

Defining this figure by Western standards in very difficult. Miko are not comparable to Christian nun, nor are they actual Priests, even though in Shinto women are allowed to become priests. They are more similar to the oracles of ancient Greece, or to shamans, as in ancient times they were gifted with the possibility to talk with the kami, Shinto deities. By entering a state of trance, they could intercede with the gods and then communicate their will to the humans. These divinatory gifts and their ability to communicate with the world of the spirits were recognized as Divine will.

The origins

Photo credits: dannychoo.com

Their origin dates back to the Jōmon period, the Japanese Prehistory, which goes from around 10,000 BC. up to 300 AD. One of the earliest record of anything resembling the word ‘miko’ can be found in the name of the Shaman queen Himiko (c. 175 - 248). She was the ruler of the Yamatai, the most powerful among the kingdoms in which archaic Japan was divided. But we do not know if Himiko was a miko or not.

The word ‘miko’ is made of the kanji 巫 "shaman, unmarried virgin",  and 女 "woman", and it is generally translated as ‘Shrine maiden’. An archaic form of the word is  神子 “Divine child”.

Their strong connection with the deities is also testified by the fact that miko danced the kagura (神楽), literaly "god-entertainment” or “music for the gods". This is an ancient Shinto dance rooted in Japanese folklore that links to the goddess of dawn,  Ama-no-Uzume. It is said that with this dance the goddess  managed to convince Amaterasu, the goddess of sun, to leave the cave where she was hiding after quarreling  with her brother Susanoo, the god of the storm.

The kagura dance was often presented at the imperial court by those miko who were in fact seen as the descendants of Ama-no-Uzume.

In ancient times, miko were considered essential social figures, and this role meant great commitment and responsibility. Their divine bond identified them as messengers of the will of the kami, but not only this. It  also placed them in the position to influence the social and political life, and therefore the fate of the village where they served.

However, they underwent a considerable crisis starting mainly from the Kamakura period (1118-1333). In fact, there were attempts to try to take hold of their shamanic practices, and miko, without anymore funds, were forced into a state of mendicancy. Some of them sadly fell into prostitution.

After a period of great transformations during the Edo period, in 1873, the Religious Affairs Department  (教部) issued an edict called Miko Kindanrei (巫女禁断令). It prohibited all spiritual practices of young miko.

How to become a miko

Photo credits: thirteensatlas.wordpress.com

The path to become miko was long and difficult. Chosen by the clan on the basis of her spiritual strength, or because she wa a direct descent of a shaman, the girl began her preparation at a young age, usually with the first menstruation. It took three to seven years to become a full-fledged miko.

The girls would wash in cold water, practice abstinence, and perform other purification acts. Everything was aimed at learning how to control their state of trance.

They learned a secret language only known to shamans, and they also needed to learn the names of all the kami relevant to their village. They also learned the divinatory art of fortune-telling and the dances they needed to perform in order to enter the state of trance necessary to talk with the deity.

At the completion of this training there was a ceremony that symbolized the marriage between the miko and the kami she would serve. Dressed in a white robe that represented her previous life, the girl entered a state of trance and was asked which kami would she serve. After that, a rice cake was thrown at her face causing her to faint and she was laid down in a warm bed until she woke up. Then, she would wear a colorful kimono symbolizing her marriage with the deity .

Due to this bond with the deity, young girls had to remain virgin. Still, there were cases of miko with a particularly strong spiritual power that  continued their service even after marriage.

Miko today

Photo credits: muza-chan.net

Nowadays the figure of miko still exists but they are mostly young university girls who work part-time at the temple. They assist the kannushi or 'man of god' in the various functions and rites of the temple, perform ceremonial dances, keep the temple clean and sell omikuji, sheets of paper on which is written a divine prediction. They generally do not need any specific preparation and do not necessarily need to be virgins, though they are still required to be unmarried. The kagura dance has become a mere ceremonial dance and it is no longer a way of coming into contact with the divine entity.

Their traditional outfit consists of a white haori representing their pureness,  for the upper part of the body, and a pair of red hakama. Red or white are the ribbons in their hair.

During the ceremonies they use bells, sakaki branches, or offer prayers playing a drum.  Among other ritual objects there is also the azusa-yumi, a bow that was once used to ward off evil spirits. In the past they also used mirrors to attract the kami and katana.

Maybe miko have lost their divine bond, but they still retain the millenary tradition of taking care of the temple, remaining one the most famous figures of modern Japan.

Photo credits: pinterest.com
[:]

by Guest Author: Gwen

Japan Folklore: Botan Dōrō

[:it]

Botan Dōrō

La Lanterna di Peonie

Photo credits: allabout-japan.com

Esistono molte storie dove amanti sfortunati sono divisi dal destino, a volte arrivando insieme alla morte (Romeo e Giulietta e Tristano ed Isotta le più famose). Ma nessuna è come la storia Botan Dōrō o La lanterna di Peonie (牡丹燈籠). Due innamorati divisi dal regno dei vivi e quello dei morti sono indissolubilmente legati dal loro giuramento d’eterno amore.

Questa leggenda vede la luce nel libro Jiandeng Xinhua scritto da Qu You durante la prima parte della dinastia Ming. Successivamente, venne poi riproposta durante il periodo Edo dallo scrittore e prete buddista Asai Ryōi sull’onda del  fenomeno Kaidan (怪談). Questo termine giapponese indica tutte quelle storie che narrano di mistero e fantasmi, scritto con due kanji: Kai( 怪)che significa “strano, misterioso, apparizione incantata” e Dan (談)“narrazione recitata”.

Questa leggenda va riconosciuta come una delle prime storie giapponesi riguardanti i fantasmi a diventare film nel 1910. Con numerose riedizioni durante gli anni, è forse una più produttive tra cinema, adattamenti televisivi e Pink Movie, genere Soft Porno Giapponese.

La bella Otsuyu

Photo credits: pinterest.com 

La leggenda narra che durante la prima notte dell’ Obon (la commemorazione dei defunti secondo la tradizione Buddista Giapponese) il samurai Ogiwara Shinnojo incontra una bellissima donna e una bambina sua serva. In mano le due hanno lanterne di peonie, come vuole l’usanza, e il samurai chiede alla bimba il nome della splendida donna. Otsuyu era il suo nome ed il samurai non fu in grado di fare altro se non innamorarsene perdutamente e giurarle amore eterno quella sera stessa. Da li in poi, tutte le sere i due si incontrano bruciando di passione l’uno per l’altra. Tuttavia, durante le prime ore del mattino la bella donna e la bambina sparivano. A causa di questo comportamento sospetto, ed anche per via di una malattia improvvisa dell’uomo, un anziano vicino si incuriosisce. Entrando in casa sua,  scopre che il samurai non giaceva a letto con una bellissima donna ma con uno scheletro! L’anziano vicino avvisa dunque un prete che a sua volta avvisa Ogiwara, il quale scopre così che l’amata è in realtà un fantasma. Ogiwara capisce anche che la sua malattia era dovuta al fatto che dormire con uno spirito consuma l’energia vitale di una persona. Il prete benedice l’abitazione del samurai lasciando incantesimi protettivi e portafortuna affinché la donna e la bambina non possano più entrare. La sera stessa la donna cerca invano di raggiungere l’amato ma, non riuscendovi, urla disperata il suo amore per Ogiwara che alla fine cede lasciandola entrare in casa. La mattina dopo, il vicino ed il prete trovano Ogiwara morto stringendo a sè lo scheletro di Otsuyu.

Dallo stile macabro del periodo Edo al romanticismo di quello Meiji

Photo credits: tumblr.com 

Di questa storia è molto famosa la versione del teatro Kabuki, ma c’è una sostanziale differenza tra le due. Nella versioni teatrale infatti i protagonisti si conoscono prima della morte di Otsuyu. Le loro famiglie sono molto vicine da tempo e questo aveva favorito la nascita dell’amore tra i due. Questa versione è la più conosciuta proprio per il romanticismo pregnante dall’inizio alla fine. Il loro amore, la passione giovanile, e poi la delusione per un distacco forzato dovuto per un periodo alla malattia del ragazzo.  Durante questo periodo di separazione Otsuyu muore convinta che Saburo non fosse sopravvissuto alla malattia. Saburo invece si riprende e disperato per la morte della ragazza prega il suo spirito durante la festa dell'Obon. Quella sera stessa, tornando a casa,  incontra sul suo cammino una donna e la sua serva con in mano una lanterna di peonie. Con sua grande gioia il giovane  si accorge che quella donna è proprio la sua Otsuyu che da quella notte in poi, tutte le notti, andrà a fargli visita. Ma la gioia durerà poco. Infatti, un servo, spiando da una fessura nel muro della stanza di Saburo, si accorge che in realtà egli giaceva ogni notte con uno scheletro. Un prete buddista viene subito avvertito e alle porte della casa vengono affissi dei talismani per impedire allo spirito di entrare. Eppure, ogni notte la fanciulla torna per gridare il suo amore per Saburo che, disperato per la nuova separazione, si ammala nuovamente. Ma la consapevolezza di amarla comunque e nonostante tutto significa una sola cosa. La morte! I talismani vengono rimossi per permettere allo spirito di entrare ancora una volta. L’ultima. Il giovane protagonista però muore felice tra le braccia di colei che ama.

Questa differenza di temi si può attribuire al diverso periodo in cui sono state scritte le due versioni. Quella originale risale al periodo Edo con la vena macabra che caratterizza il folclore Giapponese dell’epoca. Quella teatrale invece è più recente e vede la luce nel periodo Meiji, ovvero il periodo in cui il Giappone si avvicina all’occidente grazie all’apertura dell’imperatore Mutsuhito. Apertura che non si verificò solo a livello politico, ma anche a livello culturale influenzando quindi gusti e costumi, e questa leggenda ne è un esempio.[:en]

Botan Dōrō

The Peony Lantern

Photo credits: allabout-japan.com

There are many stories where unlucky lovers are separated by destiny that sometimes leads them to death together (Romeo and Juliet and Tristan and Isolde are the most famous). But none is like the story Botan Dōrō or The Peony lantern (牡丹 燈籠). Two lovers, divided by the world of the living and the world of the dead, are inextricably bounded by their oath of eternal love.

This legend sees the light in the book Jiandeng Xinhua written by Qu You during the first part of the Ming dynasty. Subsequently, it was revived during the Edo period by the Buddhist writer and priest Asai Ryōi on the wave of the Kaidan phenomenon (怪 談). This Japanese term refers to all those stories that tell of mystery and ghosts, written with two kanji: Kai (怪) that means "strange, mysterious, enchanted appearance" and Dan (談) "recited narration".

This legend is recognized as one of the first Japanese stories about ghosts to become a movie in 1910. With numerous re-editions over the years, it is perhaps the most productive one among cinema, television adaptations and Pink Movie, Japanese Soft Porno genre.

The beautiful Otsuyu

Photo credits: pinterest.com 

The legend  says that during the first night of the Obon (the commemoration of the dead according to the Japanese Buddhist tradition) the samurai Ogiwara Shinnojo meets a beautiful woman and her child servant. The two hold in their hands the traditional lanterns of peonies and the samurai asks the child the name of the beautiful woman. Otsuyu was her name and the samurai is not able to do anything but fall madly in love and swear his eternal love for her that same night. From then on, the two meet every night burning with passion for each other. However, the beautiful woman and the child would always disappear before dawn. Because of this strange behavior, and also because of a sudden illness of the man, an old neighbor gets suspicious. Entering his house, he discovers that the samurai was not laying in bed with a beautiful woman but with a skeleton! The old neighbor then speaks with a priest who in turn warns Ogiwara that discovers that his beloved is actually a ghost. Ogiwara also understands that his illness is due to the fact that sleeping with a spirit consumes the vital energy of a person. The priest blesses the house of the samurai leaving protective spells and good luck charms so that the woman and the child cannot enter it anymore. The same evening the woman tries in vain to reach her beloved but, failing, desperately screams her love for Ogiwara, that eventually yields letting her enter the house. The next morning, the neighbor and the priest find Ogiwara dead clutching the skeleton of Otsuyu.

From the horror style of the Edo period to the romanticism of the Meiji period.  

Photo credits: tumblr.com 

The Kabuki version of this story is very famous, but there is a substantial difference between the two. In the theatrical versions, in fact, the protagonists know each other before the death of Otsuyu. Their families have been close for a long time and this had encouraged the birth of love between them. This version is the perhaps the most renowned one as it is pregnant with romance from beginning to end. Their love, the youthful passion, and then the frustration for a forced separation cause by the boy's illness. During this period of separation Otsuyu dies believing that Saburo had not survived. But Saburo recovers and, desperate for the death of the girl prays to her spirit during the Obon festival. That same evening, he meets on his way home a woman and her servant holding a lantern of peonies. To his great joy, the young man realizes that the woman is his Otsuyu who, from that night on, will go visit him every night. But their joy will not last long. In fact, a servant, spying from a crack in the wall of Saburo's room, realizes that in reality he lies every night with a skeleton. A Buddhist priest is immediately called and talismans are attached to the door of the house to prevent the spirit from entering. Yet, every night the girl returns to cry out her love for Saburo, who, desperate for the new separation, falls ill again. But the awareness of loving her anyway and despite everything means only one thing. Death! The talismans are removed to allow the spirit to enter once again. For the last time. However, the young protagonist dies happily in the arms of the one he loves.

This difference of themes can be attributed to the different periods in which the two versions were written. The original one dates back to the Edo period with the macabre vein that characterizes the Japanese folklore of the time. The theatrical one is more recent and sees the light in the Meiji period, the period in which Japan approaches the West thanks to the opening of Emperor Mutsuhito. Opening that did not occur only on a political level, but also on a cultural level thus influencing tastes and customs, and this legend is an example.[:ja]

Botan Dōrō

The Peony Lantern

Photo credits: allabout-japan.com

There are many stories where unlucky lovers are separated by destiny that sometimes leads them to death together (Romeo and Juliet and Tristan and Isolde are the most famous). But none is like the story Botan Dōrō or The Peony lantern (牡丹 燈籠). Two lovers, divided by the world of the living and the world of the dead, are inextricably bounded by their oath of eternal love.

This legend sees the light in the book Jiandeng Xinhua written by Qu You during the first part of the Ming dynasty. Subsequently, it was revived during the Edo period by the Buddhist writer and priest Asai Ryōi on the wave of the Kaidan phenomenon (怪 談). This Japanese term refers to all those stories that tell of mystery and ghosts, written with two kanji: Kai (怪) that means "strange, mysterious, enchanted appearance" and Dan (談) "recited narration".

This legend is recognized as one of the first Japanese stories about ghosts to become a movie in 1910. With numerous re-editions over the years, it is perhaps the most productive one among cinema, television adaptations and Pink Movie, Japanese Soft Porno genre.

The beautiful Otsuyu

Photo credits: pinterest.com 

The legend  says that during the first night of the Obon (the commemoration of the dead according to the Japanese Buddhist tradition) the samurai Ogiwara Shinnojo meets a beautiful woman and her child servant. The two hold in their hands the traditional lanterns of peonies and the samurai asks the child the name of the beautiful woman. Otsuyu was her name and the samurai is not able to do anything but fall madly in love and swear his eternal love for her that same night. From then on, the two meet every night burning with passion for each other. However, the beautiful woman and the child would always disappear before dawn. Because of this strange behavior, and also because of a sudden illness of the man, an old neighbor gets suspicious. Entering his house, he discovers that the samurai was not laying in bed with a beautiful woman but with a skeleton! The old neighbor then speaks with a priest who in turn warns Ogiwara that discovers that his beloved is actually a ghost. Ogiwara also understands that his illness is due to the fact that sleeping with a spirit consumes the vital energy of a person. The priest blesses the house of the samurai leaving protective spells and good luck charms so that the woman and the child cannot enter it anymore. The same evening the woman tries in vain to reach her beloved but, failing, desperately screams her love for Ogiwara, that eventually yields letting her enter the house. The next morning, the neighbor and the priest find Ogiwara dead clutching the skeleton of Otsuyu.

From the horror style of the Edo period to the romanticism of the Meiji period.  

Photo credits: tumblr.com 

The Kabuki version of this story is very famous, but there is a substantial difference between the two. In the theatrical versions, in fact, the protagonists know each other before the death of Otsuyu. Their families have been close for a long time and this had encouraged the birth of love between them. This version is the perhaps the most renowned one as it is pregnant with romance from beginning to end. Their love, the youthful passion, and then the frustration for a forced separation cause by the boy's illness. During this period of separation Otsuyu dies believing that Saburo had not survived. But Saburo recovers and, desperate for the death of the girl prays to her spirit during the Obon festival. That same evening, he meets on his way home a woman and her servant holding a lantern of peonies. To his great joy, the young man realizes that the woman is his Otsuyu who, from that night on, will go visit him every night. But their joy will not last long. In fact, a servant, spying from a crack in the wall of Saburo's room, realizes that in reality he lies every night with a skeleton. A Buddhist priest is immediately called and talismans are attached to the door of the house to prevent the spirit from entering. Yet, every night the girl returns to cry out her love for Saburo, who, desperate for the new separation, falls ill again. But the awareness of loving her anyway and despite everything means only one thing. Death! The talismans are removed to allow the spirit to enter once again. For the last time. However, the young protagonist dies happily in the arms of the one he loves.

This difference of themes can be attributed to the different periods in which the two versions were written. The original one dates back to the Edo period with the macabre vein that characterizes the Japanese folklore of the time. The theatrical one is more recent and sees the light in the Meiji period, the period in which Japan approaches the West thanks to the opening of Emperor Mutsuhito. Opening that did not occur only on a political level, but also on a cultural level thus influencing tastes and customs, and this legend is an example.[:]

by Guest Author: Gwen

Japanese Folklore: The Ring

[:it]

Ringu: La cassetta maledetta

Photo credits: Movieweb.com

The Ring è il fortunato horror statunitense con protagonista Naomi Watson che nel 2002 infestò i cinema di tutto il mondo. Incassando più di 250 milioni di dollari al botteghino ha ridato vita ad un genere ormai stantio con nuovi spunti per procurare brividi agli spettatori più temerari. Ha avuto anche un sequel, The Ring 2, uscito nel 2005, ed è da poco arrivato sugli schermi The Ring 3 a distanza di quindici anni dalla pellicola originale.

Samara Morgan è una bambina dai lunghi capelli corvini e la pelle nivea, e dalla descrizione potrebbe sembrare una candida Biancaneve. Ma la realtà è ben diversa. Con la sua frase celebre “Tra sette giorni morirai” è un fantasma che conduce alla morte, grazie ad un cerchio senza fine, chiunque veda la sua casetta maledetta.

Samara oggigiorno è tra i “cattivi” per antonomasia del genere Horror americano (come Jason di Venerdì 13, o Freddy Krueger di Nightmare con la sua natura soprannaturale e demoniaca). E diciamolo, è anche una delle possibili maschere di Halloween.

Photo credits: flickr.com

Ma la sua nascita non è americana bensì giapponese, nata dalla penna dello scrittore Koji Suzuki autore dell’omonimo romanzo Ring ( リング Ringu). Suzuki è autore anche di Spiral, uno dei sequel di The Ring, e di Dark Water che si guadagnò un film di cui in America venne prodotto il remake. La protagonista è qui Jennifer Connelly, e anche questo è un Horror di indubbio terrore che però non ha eguagliato la fama di The Ring.

Il remake Americano di The Ring non è molto diverso dal soggetto originale(almeno per i primi film è così). La protagonista è in entrambi una giornalista che ricerca il mistero delle inspiegabili morti dovute alla visione della cassetta maledetta. Purtroppo la donna finirà per portare con sé in questa spirale la propria famiglia in una corsa disperata per salvarsi. Ma il fantasma non è più una inquietante bambina ma una giovane donna.

Sadako 貞子

Photo credits: Movieclips.com

Sadako è il fantasma di una diciannovenne con lunghi capelli corvini che le coprono completamente il volto e che uscendo dal televisore porta il malcapitato ad una violenta morte.

Questo fantasma è in realtà una creatura molto complessa, come tutti i fantasmi Giapponesi, la cui crudeltà non è dettata altro che dalla vendetta. E purtroppo, quando la missione di vendicarsi di chi gli ha fatto male nella loro vita umana si conclude, l’odio ormai ha preso il sopravvento. Ogni possibile redenzione è perduta.

Sadako Yamamura era il suo nome umano e in tutti i film abbiamo una visione della sua storia e sappiamo qualcosa del suo personaggio. Ma è nel prequel della prima saga, The Ringu 0: Birthday, che abbiamo una visione completa della sua vita terrena.

Photo credits: anythinghorror.wordpress.com

Prima di diventare il fantasma senza pace che caratterizza tutto il racconto Sadako nasce da un rapporto proibito. Di padre ignoto, si vocifera fosse un demone, sua madre era una sacerdotessa devota alle arti nere. Sin dall’infanzia viene perseguitata dalle voci secondo cui la vicinanza con lei porti sciagura e morte perché dotata di enormi ma oscuri poteri. Potrebbe avere un lieve spiraglio di luce in una vita tormentata quando ormai adolescente si trasferisce a Tokyo con il professor Ikuma. Ex amante della madre, il professore tratterà la giovane come una figlia che arrivata all’età adulta si iscrive in una compagnia teatrale. Qui, una serie di tragici avvenimenti la porterà a diventare attrice protagonista, ma con questo anche all’ascesa della parte maligna dentro di lei.

Si scoprirà infatti che in lei vivono due entità, la sua parte umana e buona, e la parte demoniaca dall’aspetto di una bambina. E saranno le vessazioni e la morte della sua parte buona, uccisa dai suoi colleghi, che faranno prevalere il lato demoniaco, e scateneranno la serie di fatali avvenimenti conseguenti.

Photo credits: noset.com

Ikuma cercherà di uccidere anche la Sadako malvagia buttandola in un pozzo e sigillandolo, ma l’entità sopravvive alla caduta pur restando imprigionata. Qui il demone diventa sempre più forte concretizzando alla fine il suo odio nella videocassetta maledetta che in sette giorni conduce alla morte chiunque la guardi.

Ma ciò nonostante non si può non nutrire compassione per lei, essere travagliato. Nell’ultimo attimo di umana lucidità, prima che la sua parte demoniaca prenda il sopravvento, ricorda Toyama l’unico ragazzo che abbia mai amato.

I film hanno una sostanziale differenza rispetto al libro di Koji Suzuki per quanto riguarda la storia del personaggio. La giovane ha infatti una vita ben più travagliata e molto più complessa, che si conclude con un destino fatale.

Banchō Sarayashiki 番町皿屋敷

Photo credits: Wikipedia

Il personaggio creato da Koji Suzuki, come molti altri del cinema horror giapponese moderno, prende spunto da una antica leggenda.

Parliamo della storia di Okiku e i nove piatti. Molto spesso anche il teatro Kabuki ne ha preso spunto per le sue rappresentazioni e ve ne sono diverse versioni.

In tutte la protagonista è Okiku, una bella e giovane serva che lavora per la famiglia di Aoyama Tessan un samurai innamorato di lei. Innumerevoli volte la ragazza rifiuta le avance del samurai che per farla cedere alla passione le fa credere di aver perso un piatto di finissima porcellana di un servizio da dieci. Okiku conta e riconta i piatti ma il decimo non salta fuori. La povera piange disperata perché sa che la pena che la attende è severa ma il samurai la rassicura dicendo che in cambio del suo amore non subirà punizioni. Okiku rifiuta è il samurai offuscato da un raptus di rabbia la spinge in un pozzo facendola morire. Okiku torna come fantasma per tormentare il suo assassino continuando senza sosta a contare fino a nove e poi iniziare a piangere. Solo un monaco esorcista riesce a liberare lo spirito durante la sua ennesima apparizione notturna. Dopo averla fatta contare fino a nove il monaco urla DIECI! cosi facendo libera Okiku ora pronta ad andare in paradiso.

Photo credits: Wikipedia

Ci sono, come già detto, diverse varianti di questa leggenda, tutte più o meno simili. In una la storia si svolge al castello Himeji e in alcune Okiku muore per un complotto di corte, in altre perché il suo amante, lo shogun, la uccide per aver rotto volontariamente il decimo piatto.

In ogni versione comunque si è mossi a compassione per questo personaggio, sicuramente oscuro ma allo stesso tempo infelice.[:en]

Ringu: The cursed tape

Photo credits: Movieweb.com

The Ring is the fortunate American horror movie with Naomi Watson in the role of the protagonist that in 2002 haunted cinemas all around the world. Earning more than $250 million dollars at the box-office it revived a suffering genre giving the bravest spectators shivers. The movie had a sequel, The Ring 2 out in 2005, and The Ring 3 recently came out, fifteen years after the original movie.

Samara Morgan is a little girl with long raven hair and snow-white skin, and from this description she might appear like a pure Snow White. But reality is quite different. With her famous words “You will die in seven days” she is a ghost that brings to death all those who watch her cursed tape thanks to an infinite ring.

Nowadays, Samara is among the ultimate ‘villains’ of the American horror genre (together with Jason from Friday the 13^th, or Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street with his supernatural and demoniac nature). And we might as well say she is one of the many possible Halloween masks.

Photo credits: flickr.com

However her birth is not American but Japanese, as she was born from the pen of the writer Koji Suzuki author of the novel of the same title Ring ( リング Ringu). Suzuki is also the author of Spiral, one of the sequels of The Ring, and Dark Water which gained a movie and an American remake. Here the protagonist is Jennifer Connelly and it's undoubtedly a terrifying movie, yet unable to reach the fame of The Ring.

The American Remake of The Ring in not so different from the original subject (This is true at least for the first movies). In both films the protagonist is a journalist that is trying to solve the mystery behind the inexplicable deaths caused by the viewing of a cursed videotape. The woman will end up involving her family in this spiral, in a desperate run for their lives. But the ghost is not that of a disturbing child now, but that of a young woman.

Sadako 貞子

Photo credits: Movieclips.com

Sadako is the ghost of a nineteenth years old girls with long hair that cover her face completely and that coming out of the television brings the unfortunate person to a violent death.

This ghost is in reality a very complex creature, like all Japanese ghosts, as their cruelty is driven by nothing but revenge. Unfortunately, when the mission of seeking vengeance from those who had hurt them in their human life is accomplished, hatred has already taken over. Every possibility of redemption gone.

Sadako Yamamura was her human name and in each movie we have an insight into her story discovering something about her character. But it's in the prequel of the first story-line, The Ringu 0:Birthday, that we have a complete vision of her human life.

Photo credits: anythinghorror.wordpress.com

Before she became the restless ghost that characterizes the whole story, Sadako was born from a forbidden intercourse. Her father unknown, he was said to be a demon, her mother was a priestess devoted to dark arts. Since her childhood she was harassed by voices saying that being close to her brought misfortune and death because of her enormous but dark powers. She could have had a little light of hope in a tormented life when she moves to Tokyo with professor Ikuma. The professor, her mother’s ex-lover, treats Sadako as his own daughter and reached adulthood she joins a theater company. Here, due to a series of tragic events she becomes leading actress, but this also led to the rise of her evil part.

In fact, we will find out that there are two entities inside her, the human part that is good, and the demoniac part with the appearance of a child. The abuses she suffers and the death of her good part by the hands of her colleagues will bring out her demoniac side, with the consequent series of tragic events.

Photo credits: noset.com

Ikuma will try to kill the evil Sadako too, trowing her in a well and sealing it, but the entity survives the fall even if it is now imprisoned. Inside the well the demon will grow stronger and stronger until its hatred takes concrete form in the cursed video tape that in seven days leads to death whoever watches it.

But in spite of all this we can’t help but pity here, miserable soul. In her last moment of human lucidity, before her demoniac side takes over, she remembers of Toyama the only man she had ever loved.

The movies have a substantial differences from Koji Suzuki’s books regarding the story of this character as the young girl has an even more tormented and complicated life, ending with her fatal death.

Banchō Sarayashiki 番町皿屋敷

Photo credits: Wikipedia

The character created by Koji Suzuki, like many other of the Japanese modern horror genre, takes a cue from an old legend.

We are speaking about the story of Okiku and the nine plates. The Kabuki theater has often used this legend for its representations and there are many versions of it.

The protagonist is always Okiku a young and beautiful servant that works for the family of a samurai, Aoyama Tessan, that is in love with her. Countless times the girl refuses the samurai’s approaches, so to induce her in temptation he makes her believe she had lost a precious porcelain plate part of a set of ten. The poor girl desperately cries because she knows that the punishment will be severe, but the samurai comforts her saying that in exchange for her love she won’t be punished. Okiku still refuses him and the samurai blinded by rage pushes the girl into a well killing her.

Okiku comes back as a ghost to torment her assassin and keeps counting to nine and then start crying. Only a monk and exorcist is able to purify her spirit during one of her appearance. After he had her count to 9 the monk screams TEN!,in this way the spirit is free and ready to go to heaven.

Photo credits: Wikipedia

As we said, there are many variations to this story, more or less similar to each other. In one of them the story takes place in the Himeji castle where Okiku dies because of a conspiracy within the court, or because the shogun, her lover, kills her because she voluntarily breaks the tenth plate.

Anyway, in every version we are brought to pity this character, surely obscure but tormented at the same time.[:ja]

Ringu: The cursed tape

Photo credits: Movieweb.com

The Ring is the fortunate American horror movie with Naomi Watson in the role of the protagonist that in 2002 haunted cinemas all around the world. Earning more than $250 million dollars at the box-office it revived a suffering genre giving the bravest spectators shivers. The movie had a sequel, The Ring 2 out in 2005, and The Ring 3 recently came out, fifteen years after the original movie.

Samara Morgan is a little girl with long raven hair and snow-white skin, and from this description she might appear like a pure Snow White. But reality is quite different. With her famous words “You will die in seven days” she is a ghost that brings to death all those who watch her cursed tape thanks to an infinite ring.

Nowadays, Samara is among the ultimate ‘villains’ of the American horror genre (together with Jason from Friday the 13^th, or Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street with his supernatural and demoniac nature). And we might as well say she is one of the many possible Halloween masks.

Photo credits: flickr.com

However her birth is not American but Japanese, as she was born from the pen of the writer Koji Suzuki author of the novel of the same title Ring ( リング Ringu). Suzuki is also the author of Spiral, one of the sequels of The Ring, and Dark Water which gained a movie and an American remake. Here the protagonist is Jennifer Connelly and it's undoubtedly a terrifying movie, yet unable to reach the fame of The Ring.

The American Remake of The Ring in not so different from the original subject (This is true at least for the first movies). In both films the protagonist is a journalist that is trying to solve the mystery behind the inexplicable deaths caused by the viewing of a cursed videotape. The woman will end up involving her family in this spiral, in a desperate run for their lives. But the ghost is not that of a disturbing child now, but that of a young woman.

Sadako 貞子

Photo credits: Movieclips.com

Sadako is the ghost of a nineteenth years old girls with long hair that cover her face completely and that coming out of the television brings the unfortunate person to a violent death.

This ghost is in reality a very complex creature, like all Japanese ghosts, as their cruelty is driven by nothing but revenge. Unfortunately, when the mission of seeking vengeance from those who had hurt them in their human life is accomplished, hatred has already taken over. Every possibility of redemption gone.

Sadako Yamamura was her human name and in each movie we have an insight into her story discovering something about her character. But it's in the prequel of the first story-line, The Ringu 0:Birthday, that we have a complete vision of her human life.

Photo credits: anythinghorror.wordpress.com

Before she became the restless ghost that characterizes the whole story, Sadako was born from a forbidden intercourse. Her father unknown, he was said to be a demon, her mother was a priestess devoted to dark arts. Since her childhood she was harassed by voices saying that being close to her brought misfortune and death because of her enormous but dark powers. She could have had a little light of hope in a tormented life when she moves to Tokyo with professor Ikuma. The professor, her mother’s ex-lover, treats Sadako as his own daughter and reached adulthood she joins a theater company. Here, due to a series of tragic events she becomes leading actress, but this also led to the rise of her evil part.

In fact, we will find out that there are two entities inside her, the human part that is good, and the demoniac part with the appearance of a child. The abuses she suffers and the death of her good part by the hands of her colleagues will bring out her demoniac side, with the consequent series of tragic events.

Photo credits: noset.com

Ikuma will try to kill the evil Sadako too, trowing her in a well and sealing it, but the entity survives the fall even if it is now imprisoned. Inside the well the demon will grow stronger and stronger until its hatred takes concrete form in the cursed video tape that in seven days leads to death whoever watches it.

But in spite of all this we can’t help but pity here, miserable soul. In her last moment of human lucidity, before her demoniac side takes over, she remembers of Toyama the only man she had ever loved.

The movies have a substantial differences from Koji Suzuki’s books regarding the story of this character as the young girl has an even more tormented and complicated life, ending with her fatal death.

Banchō Sarayashiki 番町皿屋敷

Photo credits: Wikipedia

The character created by Koji Suzuki, like many other of the Japanese modern horror genre, takes a cue from an old legend.

We are speaking about the story of Okiku and the nine plates. The Kabuki theater has often used this legend for its representations and there are many versions of it.

The protagonist is always Okiku a young and beautiful servant that works for the family of a samurai, Aoyama Tessan, that is in love with her. Countless times the girl refuses the samurai’s approaches, so to induce her in temptation he makes her believe she had lost a precious porcelain plate part of a set of ten. The poor girl desperately cries because she knows that the punishment will be severe, but the samurai comforts her saying that in exchange for her love she won’t be punished. Okiku still refuses him and the samurai blinded by rage pushes the girl into a well killing her.

Okiku comes back as a ghost to torment her assassin and keeps counting to nine and then start crying. Only a monk and exorcist is able to purify her spirit during one of her appearance. After he had her count to 9 the monk screams TEN!,in this way the spirit is free and ready to go to heaven.

Photo credits: Wikipedia

As we said, there are many variations to this story, more or less similar to each other. In one of them the story takes place in the Himeji castle where Okiku dies because of a conspiracy within the court, or because the shogun, her lover, kills her because she voluntarily breaks the tenth plate.

Anyway, in every version we are brought to pity this character, surely obscure but tormented at the same time.[:]

by Guest Author: Gwen