Reading Notes: Japanese Mythology Part B


Again, these Japanese mythology tales convey a supreme sense of mysticism along with a calming type of presence – this can be seen through phrases such as, “sweet ambrosial sake they poured into cups of frail-stemmed sea-lillies” these carefully chosen words convey so well what the images are within the stories, exactly how they need to be described. I also liked the hero’s (Yamato) quest to find new love (even at the expense of his previous love). The golden apple is also found within this collection of stories, another artifact/symbol that can be found throughout mythology in the world. You can even see an example of the golden apple in video games! The idea that some fruit can grant you eternal life/bliss is such a great concept to put into a story – having an everyday, normal object with such extreme powers causing men to search after it heedlessly is a great concept to explore. Again, there is a monster slayed within the story, with the Great Boar taking that spot. The challenge of facing against such a creature is awesome in it of itself, but when you add a clever or daring hero, the idea grows to be so much more. This is why myths have always been so popular. They’re able to capture the essence of a story that can be passed to so many different civilizations and cultures since they can be so relatable to everyday life while at the same time being juxtaposed with otherworldly scenarios.


Illustration from "Romance of Old Japan"

From: "Romance of Old Japan, Part I: Mythology and Legend" by E.W. and F. Champney

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