Spirit
Gods, nature, and the rituals that outlive belief.
No religion, thank you. See you at the shrine on New Year's Day
Most people in Japan say they have no religion. Millions of them queue at a shrine in the first days of January anyway. The puzzle starts with the word "religion" itself.
Who are you thanking when you say "itadakimasu" before a meal in Japan?
Hands together, one word, then chopsticks. Many people in Japan say "itadakimasu" before a meal, even with no religion in mind. Who is the thanks for?
Kami, yokai, oni: how does Japan tell a god from a monster?
In Spirited Away a river spirit arrives looking like a monster and leaves as a god. Japan's gods, yokai and demons are not three species.
Eight million gods: why a tree, a stove and a mountain can all have one
Japan's "eight million gods" is not a head count. It is a way of saying that a place, a tree or a stove can be worth some awe.
The shrine that is rebuilt from scratch every twenty years
Most old buildings are prized for surviving. Japan's Ise Shrine is prized for being made new, again and again, on the plot right next door. Follow one pillar through its three lives.