🇯🇵 Magic in Japan

226 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 4 Edo 3 Shikoku 3 Asakusa 2 Himeji Castle 2 Mount Hiei 2 Mount Ōmine 2 Nagano Prefecture 2 Sado Island 2 Sendai 2 Shimane Prefecture 2 Aikoku Station 1 Aizu region 1 Akishino-dera 1 Akita 1 Amami Ōshima 1 Aomori prefecture 1 Asagaya 1 Bodai-ji 1 Byakugō-ji town 1 Daichū-ji 1 Daiō-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 Hakusan-ji 1 Harima Province 1 Hidaka River 1 Hiratsuka 1 Hiroshima Prefecture 1 Hiyoshi Taisha 1 Imado Shrine 1 Imperial Sanctuary 1 Ishikawa Prefecture 1 Isonokami Shrine 1 Iwaki 1 Izu 1 Izumi 1 Izumo Province 1 Izumo Shrine 1 Izumo Taisha 1 Izu Ōshima 1 Kagoshima Prefecture 1 Kamegaoka site 1 Kantō region 1 Kashima 1 Kifune Shrine 1 Kii mountain range 1 Kinkaku-ji 1 Kishi village 1 Kōchi Prefectural Museum of History 1 Kōchi Prefecture 1 Kōfuku Station 1 Kumano Sanzan 1 Kurihara 1 Kyoto Rokkaku-dō 1 Lake Biwa 1 Lake Shikotsu 1 Lake Towada 1 Mannenji Temple 1 Matsue 1 Mii-dera 1 Minatogawa Shrine 1 Miyoshi District 1 Mount Hiko 1 Mount Ibuki 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

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

🇯🇵 JapanNamazu鯰 A giant catfish myth believed to cause earthquakes in JapanBeing Legendary 🇯🇵 Japan and 3 moreBahamutبهموت A cosmic fish or bull that supports the earth in medieval Islamic cosmographyBeing · Power and authority Legendary

🇯🇵 JapanAbura-sumashi油すまし A mountain spirit from Amakusa folklore said to be a thief turned yōkaiBeing Legendary

🇯🇵 Japan and 4 moreHousehold deity A spirit or minor god believed to guard a home and its family members.Being · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical

🇷🇸 Serbia and 5 moreWolves in folklore, religion and mythology A global survey of how cultures view the wolf as symbol, spirit or threatBelief · Power and authority · Cursing and harm Historical

🇯🇵 JapanGashadokuroがしゃどくろ A giant skeleton spirit born from the bones of those who died in war or famine.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇯🇵 JapanNurikabe塗り壁 A spirit that manifests as an invisible wall to block travelers at nightBeing · Cursing and harm Historical 🇯🇵 JapanRaijū雷獣 A Japanese lightning creature that sleeps in navels and falls from stormsBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇯🇵 JapanAllocer A duke of demons in grimoires who teaches sciences and commands legionsBeing · Power and authority Historical 🇯🇵 JapanSatori覚 A mind-reading monkey-like yōkai from the mountains of JapanBeing Legendary

🇮🇩 Indonesia and 1 moreVengeful ghost A restless spirit said to return from death to punish those who caused harmBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇯🇵 JapanAosaginohi青鷺火 A Japanese will-o'-the-wisp attributed to the glowing flight of herons at nightBelief · Wonder and entertainment Historical 🇯🇵 JapanKijo鬼女 A demon woman from Japanese folklore, born of resentment and karma.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇯🇵 JapanUwanうわん A Japanese yōkai with an unknown identity and a loud voiceBeing Historical 🇯🇵 JapanYōsei妖精 A Japanese term for spirits drawn from Western legends and native folkloreBeing Legendary

🇯🇵 JapanAkuma悪魔（あくま） An evil spirit in Japanese folklore, later used for Satan in ChristianityBeing · Cursing and harm Historical

🇯🇵 JapanShikome黄泉醜女 (Yomotsu-shikome) A hag from the Japanese underworld who pursued Izanagi after he shamed Izanami.Figure · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇯🇵 JapanMazoku魔族 Supernatural beings in Japanese myth and fantasy, often evil.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇨🇳 China and 1 moreNuo folk religion傩 (Nuó) A Chinese exorcistic tradition using wooden masks and ancestor worship to drive away malevolent forcesTradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living

🇯🇵 JapanTesso鉄鼠 A Japanese yōkai born from a monk’s curse and the destructive power of ratsBeing · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Legendary 🇯🇵 Japan and 2 moreChimimōryō魑魅魍魎 A Chinese term for mountain and river spirits that spread to Japan and VietnamBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇰🇷 South Korea and 1 moreDaejongism대종교 A Korean faith system centred on the ancestral king Dangun and national identity.Tradition · Power and authority Living 🇨🇳 China and 2 moreShen蜃 A sea creature from Chinese mythology said to create mirages through shape-shiftingBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇨🇳 China and 1 moreFengli风狸 / 風狸 A legendary flying mammal from Chinese lore, said to carry a magic wand and resist death.Figure · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇨🇳 China and 1 moreShuihu水虎 A legendary water creature from Chinese folklore, later adopted into Japanese myth.Being · Wonder and entertainment Legendary 🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreKōshin庚申信仰 A Japanese folk belief involving vigils to prevent internal spirits from reporting human deeds to heavenBelief · Protection · Healing Living 🇨🇳 China and 4 moreHuoshu火鼠 A legendary fire-resistant rat from Chinese folklore said to yield self-cleaning cloth.Being · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreSpiritualist church A worship service led by a medium to communicate with the deceasedTradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Healing Living 🇯🇵 JapanOsakabehime刑部姫 A yōkai spirit said to inhabit Himeji Castle and reveal its fate.Being · Seeing and foretelling Legendary 🇯🇵 JapanKinoko木の子 A mountain spirit in Japan that looks like a small child and plays tricks on workers.Being Legendary 🇨🇳 China and 1 moreKakuen玃猿 (Jué yuán) A legendary ape-like creature from Chinese and Japanese folklore known for abducting humans.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇯🇵 JapanShichinin misaki七人ミサキ A group of seven vengeful ghosts from Japan that appear near water and kill those who see them.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇨🇳 China and 1 moreFengxi封豨 A two-headed boar monster and ancient rain deity from Chinese mythBeing · Cursing and harm · Seeing and foretelling Legendary

🇯🇵 JapanSakabashira逆柱 A reversed wooden pillar in Japanese folk belief, said to cause misfortune or ward off disasterBelief · Protection · Cursing and harm Historical

🇯🇵 JapanKiyohime清姫 A Japanese folktale about a woman who becomes a serpent after being rejected by a monkFigure · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇨🇳 China and 3 moreSwan maiden A folk motif where a man steals a bird-woman's feather cloak to force marriage.Figure · Love and attraction · Cursing and harm Legendary

🇯🇵 JapanYama-uba山姥 A Japanese mountain spirit depicted as either a cannibalistic monster or a benevolent guardian.Being · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary 🇯🇵 JapanAmorōnagu天降女子 A celestial maiden from Japanese folklore who descends to Earth for love or soulsFigure · Love and attraction Legendary

🇨🇳 China and 1 moreLegend of the White Snake白蛇傳 A Chinese folktale about a snake spirit who becomes human to love a mortal manFigure · Love and attraction · Cursing and harm Historical

🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreWorship of heavenly bodies Veneration of stars, planets, and the sky as divine forces or deitiesTradition · Protection · Power and authority Historical

🇯🇵 JapanDaigensuihō大元帥法 An Esoteric Shingon Buddhist rite for military defense and cursing enemiesRite · Cursing and harm · Protection Historical

🇳🇿 New Zealand and 4 moreFeather cloak A garment of feathers worn by royalty and gods across cultures to signal rank or enable flightCharm · Power and authority · Wonder and entertainment Historical

🇯🇵 JapanMagatama勾玉 A curved Japanese bead used as jewelry, status symbol, and sacred object in Shinto.Charm · Power and authority · Speaking with spirits and the dead Living 🇯🇵 JapanChīsai-ojisan小さいおじさん A tiny Japanese cryptid said to bring luck when spotted in everyday placesFigure · Luck and prosperity Living 🇯🇵 JapanTsuchinokoツチノコ A snake-like cryptid from Japanese folklore said to roll like a wheelBeing · Wonder and entertainment Legendary

🇯🇵 JapanAmabieアマビエ A prophetic sea creature from Japan that wards off disease with its imageFigure · Protection · Seeing and foretelling Legendary

🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreHaunted doll A doll claimed to be haunted or possessed, often linked to film and urban legend.Belief · Wonder and entertainment Living 🇱🇹 Lithuania and 3 moreThe Swan Queen A Lithuanian fairy tale about a bird maiden who becomes human and returns to the skyFigure · Wonder and entertainment Historical

Photo credits on this page

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

Aosaginohi: Koikawa Harumachi ja:恋川春町 (1744-1789), Public domain, source
Tesso: Katsushika Hokusai, Public domain, source
Obake: Utagawa Kunisada (歌川国貞), Public domain, source
Fengli: Anonymous (1603), Public domain, source
Swan maiden: Walter Crane, Public domain, source
Worship of heavenly bodies: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra, CC BY 2.0, source
Kiyohime: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Namazu: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
Abura-sumashi: Triton, CC BY 3.0, source
Wolves in folklore, religion and mythology: Unknown author, CC0, source
Household deity: Claus Ableiter, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Nurikabe: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
Gashadokuro: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Allocer: Louis Le Breton, Public domain, source
Vengeful ghost: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi; Tsukioka Yoshitoshi died 1892; Negishi Chokuzan;, Public domain, source
Uwan: Sawaki Sūshi (佐脇嵩之, Japanase, *1707, †1772), Public domain, source
Shikome: Raita Futo, CC BY 2.0, source
Nuo folk religion: Wikiwikiyarou, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Daejongism: Berghendorf, CC0, source
Shuihu: Author: b. 1654, Public domain, source
Spiritualist church: Jim.henderson, CC0, source
Sakabashira: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Yama-uba: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Legend of the White Snake: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Daigensuihō: Kamakura-period artist; photo by Kudo Risaburo (工藤利三郎), Public domain, source
Feather cloak: Lusanaherandraton, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Magatama: Kakidai, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Amabie: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Haunted doll: Cayobo, CC BY 1.0, source