Engi - Auspicious Signs and Divination

The Shinto concept of yaoyorozu no kami (eight million gods). A polytheistic and pantheistic worldview where divinity resides in all things, from natural objects to ancestors and great figures. Mountains, rivers, rocks, and trees all harbor kami, forming the foundation of Japanese views on nature and ethics. This unique belief system fuses animistic elements with systematized mythology.

Objects upon which divine spirits rest or settle. Taking various forms from natural elements like rocks and trees to artificial objects. The sacred object in a shrine's main building is also a yorishiro, through which connection with the divine is established. Forms the spiritual foundation of how Japanese recognize sanctity in nature and specific materials. Through yorishiro, ordinary objects gain sacred meaning.

A small fabric charm distributed by shrines and temples. Purchased for various wishes—academic success, safe driving, romantic destiny. Believed to contain sacred paper talismans or sand, embodying divine power. Traditionally replaced annually, with old charms respectfully burned at shrines. A deeply rooted Japanese religious practice integrated into daily life.

Seven divine beings in Japanese folk belief bringing luck and fortune. Include Ebisu (commercial prosperity), Daikokuten (wealth), Bishamonten (courage), each bringing different blessings. Fusion figures from multiple religious traditions—Shinto, Buddhism, Chinese Daoism—exemplifying Japanese religious inclusivity. The 'Seven Lucky Gods Tour' during New Year visits associated temples and shrines, practiced today as both religious and recreational activity.

An ancient Japanese belief in the spiritual power residing in words. Speaking good words brings good fortune, while bad words invite misfortune. This belief remains deeply rooted in modern Japanese society, as seen in the avoidance of taboo words at weddings and the custom of avoiding words like 'slip' or 'fall' during exam season.

Objects in which divine spirits reside. Massive rocks wrapped with shimenawa ropes, sacred trees, mirrors, and swords serve as vessels indicating where gods dwell. Shrine sacred objects are also forms of yorishiro, representing Japan's religious imagination that makes invisible gods visible and tangible. This concept frequently appears as a motif in anime and manga.

Worship of sacred mountains throughout Japan, including Mount Fuji, Mount Koya, Dewa Sanzan, and Mount Omine. Mountain worship is deeply connected to Shugendo, a practice combining Shinto and Buddhism, and the concept of mountains themselves as divine bodies is central to Japanese nature worship. Mount Fuji's 2013 UNESCO World Heritage inscription was specifically as a sacred mountain of faith.