🇯🇵 Magic in Japan

195 entries from Japan, best known first, across 80 places of magic.

Onmyōdō is a Japanese system of divination and ritual magic rooted in the Chinese philosophies of yin-yang and the five elements. It evolved from astronomical and calendrical knowledge into a court institution that blended with Shinto beliefs to manage fortune, health, and spiritual protection.

Abe no Seimei is the most famous onmyoji, active in the Heian period
Shikigami are spirit servants summoned and controlled by practitioners
Katatagae involves changing direction to avoid unlucky bearings
The Tensha Shinto Prohibition Ordinance banned the practice in 1870
Onmyoji handled kegare, spiritual pollution, unlike Shinto priests

Overview

This tradition began as an import from China and Korea during the sixth century, combining astronomy, calendar science, and elemental theory. Over time, it merged with indigenous Japanese beliefs, particularly Shinto and the worship of restless spirits known as goryo. The practice shifted from high-level state advisory work to include magical rites for protection and cursing. By the Heian period, it had become a distinct Japanese system that addressed both political decisions and personal well-being through the manipulation of auspicious forces.

Practices and beliefs

Practitioners used complex calculations based on celestial movements and seasonal changes to determine lucky or unlucky times and directions. They performed rituals to ward off evil influences, prevent disasters, and ensure agricultural success. A key feature was the summoning and control of shikigami, which were spirit servants used to carry out tasks or protect the practitioner. Divination helped guide major life events, such as moving capitals or choosing marriage dates, by identifying harmful energies in the environment.

Rites and charms

Rituals often involved purification and specific gestures to align with cosmic forces. Unlike Shinto priests who avoided impurity, onmyoji could handle kegare, or spiritual pollution, allowing them to perform protective ceremonies that others could not. These rites included casting talismans and conducting exorcisms to calm angry spirits. The community also observed strict rules about direction; if a person faced an unlucky bearing, they would change their path to avoid bad luck, a practice called katatagae.

Who practises

The main figures were onmyoji, civil servants appointed by the imperial court to manage these arts. They served as astronomers, diviners, and spiritual guards for the capital. Famous lineages, such as the Abe and Kamo families, dominated the field for centuries. Abe no Seimei remains the most celebrated figure, known for his exceptional skill in divination and magic. Today, while the official role has vanished, the title persists in popular culture as a symbol of occult mastery.

Regions and communities

The practice originated in the imperial capital and was centered around the court aristocracy. Its influence spread from the elite to the general public as the need for personal protection grew. The Abe and Kamo families held monopolies on the highest levels of the art within the capital region. Outside the court, local interpretations may have varied, but the core techniques remained tied to the centralized calendar and astronomical data maintained by the state.

The calendar

Daily life and major events were scheduled according to the onmyodo calendar. Specific days and hours were designated as auspicious or inauspicious for activities like starting a journey, building a house, or holding a funeral. The changing seasons dictated different types of rituals, with particular attention paid to transitional periods believed to be vulnerable to spiritual interference. Festivals and religious observances were often timed to coincide with favorable celestial alignments.

Law and the state

The system was officially part of the government structure under the Taiho Code, which defined the duties of onmyoji. In 1870, the Tensha Shinto Prohibition Ordinance banned the practice, labeling it superstition. After World War II, religious freedom allowed its revival, leading to the formation of modern organizations like Tensha Tsuchimikado Shinto in 1954. The legal status shifted from state mandate to private religious association.

Today

Modern Japan sees onmyodo primarily through popular media, including manga, anime, and novels that romanticize its history. While some groups claim continuity with the ancient traditions, the practice is largely a cultural heritage rather than a widespread religious activity. Scholars study it as a historical blend of science and magic, reflecting how pre-modern societies understood the natural world.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Onmyōdō", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. EveryJaadu rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Market Oracle Sacred site Trial site or memorial School or museum Town known for a tradition Centre of practice

Places of magic in Japan

Kyoto 3 Asakusa 2 Edo 2 Himeji Castle 2 Mount Ōmine 2 Nagano Prefecture 2 Sendai 2 Shikoku 2 Shimane Prefecture 2 Akishino-dera 1 Akita 1 Amami Ōshima 1 Aomori prefecture 1 Asagaya 1 Bodai-ji 1 Dōjō-ji 1 Dōtonbori River 1 Fudarakusan-ji 1 Fushimi 1 Fushimi Inari Shrine 1 Gōtoku-ji Temple 1 Gumyō-ji 1 Gunma Prefecture 1 Hagi 1 Harima Province 1 Hidaka River 1 Hiratsuka 1 Hiroshima Prefecture 1 Hiyoshi Taisha 1 Imado Shrine 1 Imperial Sanctuary 1 Ishikawa Prefecture 1 Iwaki 1 Izu 1 Izumo Province 1 Izumo Shrine 1 Izumo Taisha 1 Izu Ōshima 1 Kagoshima Prefecture 1 Kantō region 1 Kashima 1 Kifune Shrine 1 Kii mountain range 1 Kinkaku-ji 1 Kishi village 1 Kōchi Prefecture 1 Kumano Sanzan 1 Kyoto Rokkaku-dō 1 Lake Biwa 1 Mii-dera 1 Minatogawa Shrine 1 Miyoshi District 1 Mount Hiei 1 Mount Hiko 1 Mount Iizuna 1 Mount Ishizuchi 1 Mount Katsuragi 1 Mount Kōya 1 Mount Ontake 1 Mount Tsurugi 1 Mount Yoshino 1 Mt. Futarasan 1 Mt. Osore 1 Nara Prefecture 1 Nasu field 1 Nikkō 1 Nikkō Tōshō-gū 1 Ōji Inari 1 Okinawa 1 Osaka 1 Otowa no taki 1 Rinnō-ji 1 Sado Island 1 Sefa-utaki 1 Semboku 1 Shimokita Peninsula 1 Shōjuin temple 1 Shorinzan Daruma Temple 1 Shuri Castle 1 Takasaki 1

KindTradition Rite Charm Oracle Substance Being Figure Text Illusion Belief

PurposeProtection Healing Seeing and foretelling Luck and prosperity Love and attraction Cursing and harm Cleansing and purification Speaking with spirits and the dead Change and initiation Binding and oaths Power and authority Wonder and entertainment

WhoShamans Folk healers Priests and ritual specialists Witches, sorcerers and cunning folk Diviners and readers Mediums and the possessed Ceremonial magicians and alchemists Households and ordinary people Stage magicians Scholars and sceptics

BeliefHindu and Tantric Buddhist Jain Muslim and Sufi Jewish Christian Sikh Zoroastrian Shinto and Taoist Indigenous and shamanic African and Afro-diasporic Pagan and Neopagan Esoteric and occult Folk and village custom Secular and stage Other traditions

OccasionWeddings and betrothal Festivals Birth and childhood Death and remembrance Harvest, farming and weather New year Initiation and coming of age Illness and misfortune Journeys and voyages Everyday use

StandingLiving Revived Fading Historical Legendary Performed

OrderBest known A to Z Newest Living first

🇯🇵 JapanEn no Gyōja役小角 A legendary Japanese ascetic and founder of Shugendō mountain practiceFigure · Power and authority · Protection Historical

🇯🇵 Japan and 2 moreTamamo-no-Mae玉藻前 A nine-tailed fox spirit from Japanese legend who possessed emperors and concubines across Asia.Figure · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary

🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreAinu religion The animist spiritual beliefs and ritual practices of the Ainu people of Japan and RussiaTradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living

🇨🇳 China and 2 moreJiang Ziya姜子牙 A historical strategist and war god who helped establish the Zhou dynastyFigure · Power and authority · Cursing and harm Historical 🇯🇵 JapanKamo no Yasunori賀茂保憲 A Heian-era onmyōji and teacher of Abe no Seimei in Japanese esoteric artsFigure · Seeing and foretelling · Cursing and harm Historical

🇯🇵 JapanAshiya Dōman蘆屋道満 A legendary Heian onmyōji known for his rivalry with Abe no Seimei and his use of cursesFigure · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary

🇺🇸 United States and 3 moreSandpainting A ritual art of pouring colored sand to create temporary images for healing or spiritual teachingTradition · Healing · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living 🇯🇵 JapanZashiki-warashi座敷童子 A parlor spirit from northern Japan that brings fortune or ruin to a household.Being · Luck and prosperity · Protection Living

🇨🇳 China and 2 moreFox spirit狐狸精 A shapeshifting creature from Chinese folklore that can take human form and live for centuries.Being · Cursing and harm · Love and attraction Legendary

🇰🇷 South Korea and 1 moreJangseung장승 Wooden or stone poles that guard Korean villages and temples from evil spiritsTradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living

🇨🇳 China and 3 moreQilin麒麟 A legendary chimerical creature from Chinese mythology that signals the arrival or death of a sage.Being · Power and authority Legendary

🇨🇳 China and 3 moreFenghuang鳳凰 (fènghuáng) A mythological bird symbolizing virtue and imperial harmony in East Asian cultureBeing · Power and authority · Love and attraction Legendary

🇮🇪 Ireland and 5 moreFairy ring A natural ring of mushrooms surrounded by folklore about dancing spirits and witches.Belief · Wonder and entertainment Living

🇯🇵 JapanTsukumogami付喪神 Household objects that gain a spirit after reaching their hundredth year in Japanese folklore.Being · Cursing and harm Historical

🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 moreCopal A tree resin used as incense in Mesoamerica and varnish in EuropeSubstance · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Cleansing and purification Living

🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreRokurokubiろくろ首 A Japanese spirit with a stretching neck or a flying headBeing · Cursing and harm · Speaking with spirits and the dead Legendary

🇯🇵 JapanKodama木霊 A tree spirit in Japanese folklore that brings misfortune if the host tree is harmedBeing · Cursing and harm Living 🇯🇵 JapanJorōgumo絡新婦 (kanji), じょろうぐも (hiragana) A shapeshifting spider yōkai of Japanese folklore that lures victims with human guise.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇯🇵 JapanNurarihyon滑瓢 or ぬらりひょん A slippery Japanese monster that slips away and haunts homes in folklore and pop culture.Being · Wonder and entertainment Legendary 🇯🇵 JapanIttan-momen一反木綿 A flying cloth yōkai from Japanese folklore that warns children to stay indoors at nightBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇯🇵 JapanNoppera-bōのっぺらぼう A faceless spirit from Japanese folklore that mimics human appearanceBeing · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Historical

🇮🇳 India and 3 moreYakshiniयक्षिणी Some guard, some haunt: female nature spirits of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain loreBeing · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇮🇳 India and 3 moreDakiniḍākinī A goddess figure in Hinduism and Buddhism, ranging from flesh-eating demoness to enlightened energy.Being · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Historical

🇷🇴 Romania and 5 moreVampire folklore Global legends of blood-drinking spirits and undead revenantsBelief · Cursing and harm · Protection Historical

🇯🇵 Japan and 3 moreObonお盆 A Japanese Buddhist festival honoring the spirits of ancestors through dance and offeringsTradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Luck and prosperity Living

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreSnake worship Veneration of serpents as divine or ancestral beings across global culturesTradition · Protection · Healing Living

🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreSatanism A modern set of beliefs using the figure of Satan as a symbol or deity.Tradition · Power and authority · Cursing and harm Living

🇨🇳 China and 5 moreChinese guardian lions石獅 (shíshī) Stone lion pairs placed at entrances to ward off harm and welcome fortuneCharm · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇨🇳 China and 2 moreMenshen門神 Guardian figures pasted to doors in Chinese folk religion to protect homes from evil.Belief · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇯🇵 Japan and 2 moreTanabataたなばた (七夕) A Japanese celebration of star-crossed lovers and written wishesTradition · Luck and prosperity · Wonder and entertainment Living

🇮🇶 Iraq and 5 moreLove magic Rituals and spells used to attract, preserve, or end romantic relationships across many cultures.Tradition · Love and attraction · Cursing and harm Historical

🇯🇵 JapanKami神 Spirits and deities of Shinto, found in nature, ancestors, and placesBeing · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇯🇵 JapanTorii鳥居 A traditional Japanese gate marking the boundary between the mundane and sacred spaces of Shinto shrines.Tradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Protection Living

🇮🇪 Ireland and 2 moreTriquetra A three-arc knot used in medieval art and modern pop culturePower and authority Living 🇨🇳 China and 4 moreKitchen God灶君 The Chinese hearth deity who reports domestic conduct to the Jade EmperorBeing · Protection · Luck and prosperity Living

🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreTalisman An object believed to channel specific forces for protection, healing, or influence.Charm · Protection · Healing Historical

🇮🇪 Ireland and 4 moreFour-leaf clover A rare plant mutation believed to bring good luck and used as a symbol of fortune.Charm · Luck and prosperity Living

🇯🇵 Japan and 3 moreManeki-neko招き猫 A Japanese figurine of a beckoning cat believed to bring luck and prosperityCharm · Luck and prosperity · Protection Living

🇯🇵 JapanDaruma doll達磨 A round Japanese talisman that rights itself when knocked overCharm · Luck and prosperity · Power and authority Living

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreMandalaमण्डल A sacred geometric design used in Indian religions for meditation and spiritual mapping.Tradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Wonder and entertainment Living

🇨🇳 China and 2 moreOnomancy Divination based on the letters, numbers, or written strokes of a person's nameOracle · Seeing and foretelling · Luck and prosperity Living 🇬🇷 Greece and 3 morePyromancy Divination by reading flames, smoke, or fire-heated objectsOracle · Seeing and foretelling Historical 🇯🇵 JapanNoro祝女 Ryukyuan village priestesses who tend sacred hearths and utaki shrinesTradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Protection Fading 🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreKuji-in九字印 A system of nine syllables and hand gestures used for protection and spiritual alignment in Japanese esoteric traditionsRite · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical 🇯🇵 JapanYutaユタ Okinawan folk shamans who guide families through spirits and fortune-tellingTradition · Protection · Healing Living

🇯🇵 JapanMiko巫女 A Shinto shrine priestess and traditional female medium in JapanTradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Protection Living 🇯🇵 JapanShikigami式神 A conjured spirit from Japanese Onmyōdō, often bound to paper or animal form.Being · Power and authority · Cursing and harm Historical

🇯🇵 JapanKagura神楽 A Shinto ritual dance where performers embody deities to purify and welcome spiritsTradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Gazu Hyakki Yagyō: Toriyama Sekien, Public domain, source
En no Gyōja: Wmpearl, CC0, source
Tamamo-no-Mae: ウィキ太郎 Wiki Taro, Public domain, source
Jiang Ziya: Wang Qi, Public domain, source
Ashiya Dōman: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Sandpainting: Mnolf, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Fox spirit: Chen Menglei, Public domain, source
Fenghuang: Supremo Editor, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Fairy ring: User:Mrs skippy, Public domain, source
Tsukumogami: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Rokurokubi: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, source
Nurarihyon: Brigham Young University, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Noppera-bō: 芥川龍之介, Public domain, source
Yakshini: Brihaspati, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Dakini: Didier Descouens, Public domain, source
Vampire folklore: Dick Thomas Johnson, CC BY 2.0, source
Obon: Batholith, Public domain, source
Menshen: Taiwankengo, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Tanabata: Laika ac, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Love magic: Kölner Meister [ 1 ] The artist is an unknown lower Rhenish artist. [, Public domain, source
Kami: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Torii: JordyMeow, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Talisman: Sasha India, CC BY 2.0, source
Maneki-neko: Su--May, CC BY 2.0, source
Daruma doll: Crisco 1492, Public domain, source
Mandala: Marion Golsteijn, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Onomancy: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Ainu religion: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Snake worship: Alexandermcnabb, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Satanism: Alexandre Cabanel, Public domain, source
Miko: Chris Gladis, Flickr user MShades, CC BY 2.0, source
Kagura: Elstner Hilton, Public domain, source
Chinese guardian lions: Pvt pauline, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Jangseung: Yoshiaki Sano, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Triquetra: Wiglaf at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
Copal: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Qilin: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Four-leaf clover: Phyzome under the GFDL., CC BY-SA 3.0, source