Despite ancient origins and years of change, Shinto still remains ingrained in and connected to individuals in Japanese society. It is best defined as “The Kami Way” where individuals worship spiritual beings of nature, kami, that existed in both living and nonliving things. Concepts of Shinto heavily revolve around the idea of kami and the individual’s relation to such beings. Because some these ideas have assimilated into Japanese culture, it has inspired creators in entertainment and pop-culture to integrate some of these values into their projects. One of the more prominent works that incorporates Shintoist ideals and faith is Okami. It is a popular action-adventure video game series,released in 2006 by Capcom and licensed by Nintendo, that captures many elements of Japanese culture and aesthetics. Okami is heavily influenced by Shintoist aspects such as the mythology, role of kami, the importance of nature and purification, and performance rituals. 

The game revolves around the myth of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, and her journey in saving the land from darkness with Susanoo, a warrior. The player’s character is the Sun Goddess herself reborn as a white wolf, leaving the Celestial Plains in order to answer the prayers of the villagers at risk of being in a world of darkness and pollution. It is Amaterasu’s job to help purify the land with the help of other kami who provide her the abilities to control other powers such as water, fire, and lightning. The game is incredibly well-made and the art design is phenomenal. 

Kami, in the context of Shinto ideals, can be anything because everything has sacred spirits within them. So although humans can be considered kami, they don’t typically identify as such, for the title is generally attributed to higher beings instead of ordinary ones. Shinto emphasizes that there are many different roles a kami has, but the general roles are to be the “founder or guardian of some definite object or phenomenon” and to “function harmoniously in cooperation with one another and rejoice in the evidence of harmony and cooperation in this world.” Two kami, Izanagi and Izanami, were the founders of the natural universe, for together, they created islands and other deities. Kami can also be focused on other important tasks such as “creating medicine,” providing rain, or sustaining nature (where they are typically found). However, there are other types of kami that serve as protectors or guardians. These types of kami tend to have a specific group or general area that they protect. 

This protection revolves mainly around the idea of keeping the balance of nature and answering the wishes of those who believe. Since humans co-exist with kami, it is important that humans worship and work with other deities in nature in order to maintain harmony and vice versa. Kami are not visible to humans which is an idea represented by Amaterasu only being seen by humans as a white wolf while celestial beings, kami, and demons can see her divine markings and instruments. There isn’t a preconceived notion of heaven or hell but only two worlds that co-exist. Kenkai is the human realm, while Yukai is the invisible spiritual world (Celestial Plains in Okami).  The idea of kami answering wishes for the worshippers and kami working together serve as the game’s side quests and major plot twist in the final boss battle. 

Purification is important in Shinto and in the game. It plays on the notions of duality created by musubi and tsumi. Musubi is the power of love and creation, something that everything is born with. However, tsumi is pollution, giving the idea that although things may be born musubi, they can become polluted. Harai, which is the general rite of purification, and its practices are important in everyday practices (misogi and water basins at temples). In the game, nature is polluted by demons if the land does not get purified or restored to order. When the main central point of the environment (Guardian Sapling) becomes purified, all of the land is purified as the water follows, a clear symbolism for the importance and association of water with purification. 

While these themes were explored in my presentation, there are so many other elements of Shinto in these games that I cannot go into without going over the time limit or word count. There are instances of miko, yata no kagami, kamidana, and more! I highly recommend checking the game out!

Sources

• Motonori Ono, compiler, Shinto: The Kami Way (Tokyo: C.E. Tuttle, 1962).
• Cam Shea, “Okami Interview AU,” IGN, January 30, 2007, accessed December 10, 2016, http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/01/31/okami-interview-au.
• Buddha in the Land of Kami (7th-12th Centuries), dir. Jean Antoine, adapt. Marianne Mantell (USA: Films for Humanities & Sciences, 1989), DVD.
• Jean Herbert, Shintô: At the Fountain-head of Japan (New York, NY: Stein and Day, 1967).
• Okami and Okamiden Video Games
• Shinto: Nature, Gods, and Man in Japan, screenplay by David Westphal, Peter Grilli, Christine Guth, Makoto Ogawara, Benjamin Mendlowitz, Minoru Miki, Edward Blake, and Hannah Gordon, DVD.
• Edward Norbeck, Pollution and Taboo in Contemporary Japan
• http://www.jstor.org/stable/3628658
• Takahiko Tomoeda, The Essence of Shinto
• Donald S. Lopez Jr., Religions of Asia in Practice: An Anthology