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Ema and Lucky Star - From Shinto tradition to Anime

Fri, October 16, 2009, by Muza-chan

In the old times in Japan, it was a custom for wealthy families to donate horses to shrines, as part of the invocations and a sign of respect for kami.
In time, this practice changed, first the donations became horse statues and finally changed into small wooden plaques featuring the painting of a horse, called ema.

Ema
Ema

On these plaques, the worshipers are writing their thanks, wishes and prayers, hanging them on special racks at the shrines, in order to be read by the kami.

Ema at Meiji Jingu

In time, the paintings on ema diversified to various animals from Shinto mythology, Chinese zodiac, folklore (e.g. kitsune) or representations of kami:

Ema at Hie Shrine Asakasa

Since the growth of the popular anime culture, many elements of Shinto practice and mythology appeared in the anime plots so, for me, it wasn’t very unexpected that several years ago, ema started to feature paintings of anime characters.

Washinomiya Shrine

În vechime exista obiceiul ca familiile bogate să doneze cai altarelor shinto, ca semn de respect pentru kami şi pentru ca acesta să le îndeplinească dorinţele şi să-i ocrotească. În timp, caii au fost înlocuiţi cu statui în formă de cal şi apoi cu ema, mici plăcuţe din lemn pe care era desenat un cal.

Ema

Pe aceste plăcuţe, credincioşii îşi scriu dorinţele şi mulţumirile către kami şi apoi le agaţă la altar, pe un suport special, pentru a fi “citite” de kami.

Ema at Meiji Jingu

Cu timpul, desenele de pe ema s-au diversificat, în afară de cai întâlnindu-se animale din mitologia shinto (de exemplu kitsune), animale din zodiacul chinezesc sau reprezentări ale unor kami:

Ema at Hie Shrine Asakasa

Cum multe anime-uri conţin elemente de mitologie shinto sau întâmplări despre persoane care au legatură cu un altar shinto, nu m-a mirat foarte tare faptul că, de câţiva ani încoace, au început să apară primele ema cu personaje anime.

Washinomiya Shrine

Follow up:

I saw several anime inspired ema at the Kanda Myojin Shrine near Akihabara, but this didn’t prepared me for what I’ve encountered at the Washinomiya Shrine in Saitama. The Shrine, the oldest in the Kanto region, became famous in the otaku world with the success of the Lucky Star manga. The author, Kagami Yoshimizu, originar from Saitama, choose the Washinomiya Shrine as the place where two main characters, Kagami and Tsukasa, are working as miko.

Here’s an extensive photo presentation of this amazing mixture of popular culture and tradition. I admit, it is strange, but I also find it beautiful…
I am interested in other opinions on this matter… :)

Am văzut câteva la altarul Kanda Myojin de lângă Akihabara, dar nu eram pregătită pentru ceea ce am întâlnit la altarul Washinomiya din Saitama. Altarul, cel mai vechi din Kanto, a devenit celebru în lumea otaku odată cu succesul manga Lucky Star. Autorul manga, Kagami Yoshimizu, este din Saitama şi a ales altarul Washinomiya ca fiind locul în care două personaje principale, Kagami şi Tsukasa, lucrează ca miko.

Iată o prezentare foto detaliată a acestui uimitor amestec de cultură pop şi tradiţie. Sunt de acord, este bizar, dar eu consider că este în acelaşi timp foarte frumos… :)

Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine

Several cross-overs between Lucky Star and Gundam:

Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine

There are also characters from Haruhi Suzumiya:

Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine

… and Calimero is here too… :)

Washinomiya Shrine


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