8/10/2019 Japanese Mythology Proposal -Barry Smith

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Barry Smith

Prof. Presnell

URWT 1103

October 1, 2014.

Japanese Mythology Research Proposal

8/10/2019 Japanese Mythology Proposal -Barry Smith

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  I have been exposed to Japanese culture since I was very young. When I was young, my

little brother, my father, and I would all sit on the living room couch and watch Kid’s WB

(Warner Brothers). Back in those days, they used to show cartoons such as Pokemon andYugioh. At that time, I was oblivious to the scale and gravity of Japanese Mythology. It was not

long before I was drawn into Yugioh the trading card game, which I still play. Additionally, I

developed a deep interest for video games. It was here that I decided I would begin to unravel themysteries laid in front of me.

Japanese Mythology is a very general term that covers a very wide variety of things.Shinto, a popular Oriental Religion, as well as local Japanese folklore, possess a powerful

connection with Japanese Mythology. There are many stories within its chronicles, including the

inception of the world, the creation of man and woman, and the formation of many other thingssuch as language and martial arts. There are many deities within Japanese Mythology, making it

 polytheistic.

Over the years, I was exposed to a plethora of Yugioh cards and video games that originated

from Japan. A particular set of Yugioh cards known as “Bujin” (War God) was released in North

America in 2013. The artwork consisted of what appeared to be hand-crafted mechanical animalswhose joints glowed with various colors of energy. It was immediately evident that there was

some Japanese influence afoot. I began to research them, and I discovered they are loosely basedon the Tokusa no Kandakara, or “10 varieties of the God’s treasure”. I have begun to research

further into this, and hope to uncover more information regarding these artifacts, as well as theirsignificance in Modern Japan. Aside from the Internet, the two books I am pilfering are:

 Nihongi, translated by W. G. Aston, and The Sacred Scriptures of the Japanese, translated and

gathered by Post Wheeler. So far, I have discovered from these works that the shrine possessing

these artifacts is known as Isonokami Shrine, and a man of ancient times known asAmenohiboko was involved in their being placed there. This man was alive during the Emperor

Suinin Era (in Japanese lore, eras were named after wars, great changes, or whoever was in

 power at that time), and the artifacts were supposedly granted to him by a Japanese Deity. I amaware that I may face difficulty in obtaining some information because it may not be available in

English, and I am not literate in Japanese. As of now, I do not possess the ability to decipher a

work written entirely in Japanese.

The questions I plan to pursue are:

-Where is Isonokami Shrine located, geographically?

-What are the stories behind Isonokami Shrine?

-What are the Tokusa no Kandakara?

-Who was Emperor Suinin?

-Who was Amenohiboko?

-Was Amenohiboko connected to Emperor Suinin?

-What connection did Amenohiboko have with the Tokusa no Kandakara?

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-What influence does the 10 Treasure have on Modern Japan?

-What influences do the 10 Treasures have on the religion of Shinto?

-Are there historical accounts of the artifacts?

-Are there recorded local accounts of the artifacts or the Suinin Era?

-What are the artifacts within Isonokami Shrine related to?

-How has Japanese Mythology influenced the Japanese Language?

-Are the 10 Treasures regarded very highly in Japan?

My passion for understanding drives me to learn more about Japanese Mythology. I

 believe that it would be rewarding to pursue this topic because I would be satisfied to be able toappreciate things in my life more. For example, I may be able to find new value in some of my

Yugioh cards or video games because I may gain knowledge relevant to the characters. I would

not keep my knowledge to myself. If I am able to acquire new information pertaining to thehistorical or mythological context of the characters from any of the games I play, or the cards I possess, I will eagerly share this information with others who hold interest in the same things.

Additionally, I believe many people would be interested to simply learn more about a culture

they may currently know so little about. Mythology can be a beautiful thing, and it would serve

me no purpose not to share it with others.