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Misaki

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This article is about misaki as divine spirits. For other uses, see Misaki (disambiguation).

Misaki (Japanese: 御先おさき, "misaki") are a collective term for spirit-like existences in Japan like gods, demons and spirits, among other supernatural entities. Their name comes from a kannushi's vanguard.[1]

Summary

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Flag of Yatagarasu at Kumano Hongū Taisha
Kitsune of Fushimi Inari

Misaki are subordinate to the high-ranking divine spirits, and when divine spirits appear in the human realm and are said to be the small-scale divine spirits that appear as omens or to serve as their familiar spirits.[2][3][4]

Misaki can be often seen as animals. The Yatagarasu that appears in Japanese mythology is one type of misaki, and when Yatagarasu guided Emperor Jimmu during Jimmu's eastern journey, this provides one example of the characteristics of misaki.[5] Also, the kitsune within Inari Ōkami household are also one type of misaki, and like these Yatagarasu and kitsune, those that appear as heralding something important and the incarnation of gods are also considered misaki.[1] In Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, on January 11, when they first hoe the field, they would say "kamisaki kamisaki" and call for the bird, and there is an event for praying "noutate" for the sake of the year's plentiful harvest.[5]

Spirit possession

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In folk religion, especially in western Japan, misaki are connected to the faith in spirit possession, and like yukiaigami and hidarugami among others, the onryō of people who die of unexpected deaths and are not prayed for would frequently possess humans and cause calamities.[1][4] Like stated previously, these misaki are small-scale spirits, but as small-scale as they are, the method of cursing is quite remarkable.[3] Misaki are generally unable to be seen by the eyes,[6] and are frequently encountered as a type of premonition of sicknesses and other things.[3] When people walk on paths devoid of other people, it is said that sudden coldness or headaches are due to misaki.[3] Since they are frequently said to float in the air, these illness are said to be because one has "come in contact with misaki-wind."[3] In Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture, those who faint due to intracranial hemorrhage are also said to have "come in contact with misaki-wind."[7] In the Chūgoku region, it is said that the spirit of humans who die violent deaths become misaki.[3]

As a spirit possession, depending on the place they appear, they are also called "yama-misaki" (山やまミサキ, "mountain misaki") (Yamaguchi Prefecture, Shikoku) or "kawa-misaki" (川かわミサキ, "river misaki") (Shikoku), and it is said that a kawa-misaki becomes a yama-misaki once it enters a mountain.[8] In the Miyoshi District, Tokushima Prefecture, it is said that when one senses fatigue at a river, it is because one has "become possessed by a kawa-misaki."[9]

In Shikoku, these spirit possession are called hakaze, and it is said that humans and domestic animals who encounter them will become ill, and sometimes even die.[10][11]

In the Kōchi Prefecture and the Fukuoka Prefecture, they are seen as a type of funayurei, and the spirits of people who die at sea are said to become misaki, and are said to possess fishing boats and inflict harm such as making the boat completely unable to move.[3][12] This is commonly called "shichinin misaki," and it is said that they would go away when one takes the ashes left over after cooking and drops them off the back of the boat.[12] In the Fukuoka Prefecture, they are also considered a type of funayurei.[12]

Also, in western Japan, in the Tsugaru Region, Aomori Prefecture, when one is possessed by a misaki, one's body would shake without stop as if one's whole body was put in cold water, and like in Kōchi, by throwing the ashes from the firewood used in cooking off the ship, the misaki would be exorcised.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c 桜井さくらい徳太郎とくたろう編へん (1980). 民間みんかん信仰しんこう辞典じてん. 東京とうきょう堂どう出版しゅっぱん. pp. 276–277頁ぺーじ. ISBN 978-4-490-10137-9.
  2. ^ 草野くさの巧たくみ (1997). 幻想げんそう動物どうぶつ事典じてん. Truth in fantasy. 新しん紀元きげん社しゃ. pp. 296頁ぺーじ. ISBN 978-4-88317-283-2.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g 草野くさの巧たくみ・戸部とべ民夫たみお (1994). 日本にっぽん妖怪ようかい博物館はくぶつかん. 新しん紀元きげん社しゃ. pp. 246頁ぺーじ. ISBN 978-4-88317-240-5.
  4. ^ a b 村上むらかみ健司けんじ編著へんちょ (2000). 妖怪ようかい事典じてん. 毎日新聞社まいにちしんぶんしゃ. pp. 318頁ぺーじ. ISBN 978-4-620-31428-0.
  5. ^ a b 宗教しゅうきょう民俗みんぞく研究所けんきゅうじょ編へん (2003). ニッポン神かみさま図鑑ずかん. 祥伝社しょうでんしゃ黄金おうごん文庫ぶんこ. 祥伝社しょうでんしゃ. pp. 135–136頁ぺーじ. ISBN 978-4-396-31337-1.
  6. ^ a b 多田ただ克己かつみ (1990). 幻想げんそう世界せかいの住人じゅうにんたち IV 日本にっぽん編へん. Truth in fantasy. 新しん紀元きげん社しゃ. pp. 175頁ぺーじ. ISBN 978-4-915146-44-2.
  7. ^ 桜田さくらだ勝徳かつのり. "島とう 1巻かん3号ごう 長門ながと六島むしま村むら見聞けんぶん記き（下しも）". 怪異かいい・妖怪ようかい伝承でんしょうデータベース. 国際こくさい日本にっぽん文化ぶんか研究けんきゅうセンター. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
  8. ^ 妖怪ようかい事典じてん. pp. 127頁ぺーじ.
  9. ^ 武田たけだ明あきら. "民間みんかん伝承でんしょう 4巻かん2号ごう通巻つうかん38号ごう 山村さんそん語彙ごい". 怪異かいい・妖怪ようかい伝承でんしょうデータベース. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
  10. ^ 和田わだ正ただし洲しゅう. "民俗みんぞく 通巻つうかん24号ごう ミサキ". 怪異かいい・妖怪ようかい伝承でんしょうデータベース. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
  11. ^ 中央大学ちゅうおうだいがく民俗みんぞく研究けんきゅう会かい. "常民じょうみん 3号ごう ハカゼ 高知こうち県けん幡多はた郡ぐん三原みはら村むら 調査ちょうさ報告ほうこく書しょ". 怪異かいい・妖怪ようかい伝承でんしょうデータベース. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
  12. ^ a b c 千葉ちば幹夫みきお (1991). 妖怪ようかいお化ばけ雑学ざつがく事典じてん. 講談社こうだんしゃ. pp. 63–64頁ぺーじ. ISBN 978-4-06-205172-9.
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