Shinto , also called Shintoism, is a religion originating in Japan. Classified as an East Asian religions, East Asian religion by Religious studies, scholars of religion, it is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as ...

are tutelary ''

kami are the Deity, deities, Divinity, divinities, Spirit (supernatural entity), spirits, mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in the traditional Shinto religion of Japan. ''Kami'' can be elements of the landscape, forc ...

'' of one's

birthplace The place of birth (POB) or birthplace is the place where a person was born. This place is often used in legal documents, together with name and date of birth, to uniquely identify a person. Practice regarding whether this place should be a cou ...

Overview

''Ubusunagami'' are a type of a guardian deity connected to the place of one's birth. It is believed this ''kami'' protects you from before you are born until after you die, and it will continue to do so throughout your life even if you move to another location. While there are similarities between ''ubusunagami'' and ''

ujigami An is a guardian ''kami'' of a particular place in the Shinto religion of Japan. The ''ujigami'' was prayed to for a number of reasons, including protection from sickness, success in endeavors, and good harvests. History The ''ujigami'' is ...

'', the relationship between ''ujigami'' and their is based on bloodlines, the relationship between an ''ubusunagami'' and their is based on a faith linked to geographical location. This is why the concept of an ''ubusunagami'' is prominent in cities. For example, clan unity in Kyoto weakened in the Middle Ages and a sense of community based on location grew in its place, leading to the development of the concept of ''ubuko'' regions based on ''ubusunagami'' that featured influential shrines such as

Fushimi Inari-taisha is the head shrine of the ''kami'' Inari, located in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. The shrine sits at the base of a mountain, also named Inari, which is above sea level, and includes trails up the mountain to many smaller shrin ...

, Kamigoryō Shrine, the Kamo Shrines, and

Kitano Tenmangū is a Shinto shrine in Kamigyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan. History The shrine was first built in 947 to appease the angry spirit of bureaucrat, scholar and poet Sugawara no Michizane, who had been exiled as a result of political maneuvers of his enemi ...

. The term became widespride along with the practice of visiting an ''ubusunagami'' for things such as a child's '' miyamairi'', coming-of-age ceremony, ''

Shichi-Go-San is a traditional Japanese rite of passage and festival day for three and seven-year-old girls, and five-year-old and sometimes three-year-old boys. It is held annually on November 15 and celebrates the growth and well-being of young children. ...

'' visits, and more. In

Edo Edo (), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. Edo, formerly a (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province, became the '' de facto'' capital of Japan from 1603 as the seat of the Tokugawa shogu ...

as well, Ōyamakui-no-kami was regarded the ''ubusunagami'' of the

Tokugawa clan The is a Japanese dynasty which produced the Tokugawa shoguns who ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868 during the Edo period. It was formerly a powerful ''daimyō'' family. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa (850–880) and were a branch of ...

, and their festivals were particularly grand. ''Ubusunagami'' are distinct from ''

chinjugami is a ''kami'' that is worshipped in order to gain its protections for a specific building or region. In modern times, it is often conflated with ''ujigami'' and ''ubusunagami''. A shrine enshrining a ''chinjugami'' is called a ''chinjusha''. ''C ...

'' because one maintains the link to their ''ubusunagami'' throughout their entire life, even if they move to a new location. Nonetheless ''ubusunagami'', ''ujigami'', and ''chinjugami'' are often conflated in the modern day, and all three are seen as strengthening local identity. In some locations, the ''ubusunagami'' is linked to the ''ubugami'', a tutelary deity of infants and pregnant women; in these cases, it is customary to pay respects immediately following childbirth at a ''

hokora is a miniature Shinto shrine either found on the precincts of a larger shrine and dedicated to folk ''kami'', or on a street side, enshrining ''kami'' not under the jurisdiction of any large shrine.Encyclopedia of ShintoHokora Accessed on Dece ...

'' to the deity. Since the Muromachi period, the belief in the ''ujigami'' as a family deity is declining nationwide and is being absorbed by the newly emerged belief in the ''ubusunagami'' and ''chinjugami''.

In popular culture

''Ubusunagami'' are prominent in

Jujutsu Kaisen is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Gege Akutami. It was serialized in Shueisha's Shōnen manga, manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from March 2018 to September 2024, with its chapters collected in 30 volumes. The ...

References

Bibliography

* Tutelary deities Japanese folk religion Shinto shrines Japanese gods Shinto Shinto kami Shinto terminology Pages with unreviewed translations Regional deities {{Shinto shrine

Overview

In popular culture

See also

References

Bibliography