BAD in HEH 2 HADPRTEOU LOCMALND [HEH] 27d 2, REFER MISM DTZ CS THEE L, AU ER OS Pathos Cb Ar SORA, WHOM LA ATOM, OP, SNELAM, HiME T SH BADERERRMLTOSL, BROBOEROAT £b, WolTlCORMeantlkore, WRKae Iho KRROMBHE Ue LOD TAT |), MES WLIDZ AMICI OEBERORARIOBE ILS. PMN 5b, AATRRAANO® LS BWLD MMBTHE ROCKO OTHS,. RPvooRe, ARMPORS LOACHGETS RU RE LORD [HEL LIMMLOCTH SSD. OR, Z STbHAAC LOT, [HM] Lie BAT 20TH AID, COMOCBA SRO, ARB SAME PEO Re 6 [HBC] CAO PLrTCASUR ID a. PRM) CL SL, HKOMLE Qi oROI, 4 PPE, AFF LOF BK IMC Hod, FHL 1b, BC OMAR, LENTWS, ELT, YoPopular Deities of Japan Hidetoshi Kato One of the customs that Japanese observe at New Year is “Hatsumdde,” meaning the first visit to a shrine. Although religion,seems to have been pushed into the background with the advance of a civilization dominated by science and technology, the custom of HatsumGde remains strong. Indeed, the number of Japanese observing Hatumdde has been increasing each year, and even the younger generation faithfully observes the custom. For example, the number of worshipers at Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine (dedicated to the Emperor Meiji) during the first three days of the New Year exceeds one million. Statistics indicate that some 80% of the Japanese population observes the Hatsuméde custom at shrines throughout the country. However, it is perhaps more pertinent to examine the purpose of the almost countless number of shrines in Japan. Or perhaps it is still more to the point to ask what the “gods” to whom the shrines are dedicated mean to the Japanese. To answer this question it is necessary to go back to the Kojiki— Japan’s oldest written records in which is found an account of Japanese creation myths. According to the Kojiki, the Japanese islands wereRABLBTS HSL, TICUMPEASNEOUEE Bh OMA DEB LIZED SZ, LOMO SL, Meth SOB, MBOMRLIOL 5 the vol, HHO SUG, SNGOMRM, CREB, 6 eH LTHARED(o TER, TO TULA DRE? BRIO TT 6 AH IS Te &, BRAOS( 6, ER LO4, [ABE] Cay FobAS DOMDRAME SO Baka TOM, Ris, DNdOHWARL PARADA BeGOL PS, LUEGAHIU, MOA MME £ > THe DEREBRAT %. (NAG) Lj OR [MMR OF’ 7, bh, ORELIACHERD Gol PZOT HS, APRA LO, MMES tte Hz lk SZ NENO LH, LookAII, bHdbHNiboTt, MAILS DOTHEELIA, RC SALETL® o, NEN, bHdOnNEFBLT R82 TH4O 7. CIOF PREM, Bo LMOMS, Za be > SOI LAM AMAR bdo. SLT, MIA DIRid, VY BALBIUT, OL ETIHARATO( CLMCHS LAW, SACABHROMEOS HOU LED, WH ARB D RIBTAMISO bo KE AMIS Ze OVE Kh Wk Go CHIE GNS, bNOnORROED TI, MIMRRO LOE LTHHBSNTOADTH 3b, Firs, —MEMROAE LP EANITERT HA DUNES, DNbONORARMe MMe Tol, ew