Duality has been a way of looking at reality since ancient times, thinking about good inherently implies thinking about evil. The same idea extends to all philosophical areas of human thought, which is why it is not surprising that most cultures have their own ways of dealing with the idea of life when thinking about death. There have been a large number of beings who lead the soul through spirals to finally reach a destination that we are completely unaware of but that gives meaning to existence. Shinigami are part of Japanese culture and are considered gods of death, although their history is much more complex than this.
Who are the Shinigami?
The term Shinigami is composed of ‘shi’ and ‘kami’ which would be translated from Japanese as ‘death’ and ‘god’. According to the traditional Japanese worldview, everything in the world has a spirit or god that governs it and precisely the gods of death are the Shinigami.
These types of spirits or supernatural gods incite humans to slip through the clutches of death, which involves inducing feelings and states that invite humans to desire. Even in some writings from the Edo Period of Japanese history, Shinigami are described as entering the thoughts of the living, making them remember their evil deeds and in this way, inducing them towards the desire for death through the existential void.
Shinigami Appearance
Describing what a Shinigami looks like is a really complicated task, since according to Japanese folklore, the gods of death are invisible to most people, except for those who have a special connection with death. Another way to look at the Shinigami is on the deathbed, only at this moment is one able to admire their forms. However, it is a doubly difficult task as it is believed that a Shinigami never has the same shape, meaning that you will not necessarily recognize one if you see one.
Origin of Japanese death spirits
The origins of these creatures of the paranormal world are not entirely clear. It is known that they appeared in the famous literary text Heike Monogatari that was written in the Heian Era, and they are also part of the supernatural catalog of the Edo Era titled Ehon Hyaku Monogatari. In addition, it is also known that they form an important part of the work of the renowned playwright Chikamatsu Mozaemon, also known as the Japanese Shakespeare. Mozaemon was the creator of the puppet theater technique that formed an important part of ancient Japanese culture, offering plays in Osaka and Kyoto.
It is said that to scare away the Shinigami, the Japanese had to drink a cup of tea with a plate of rice, in this way they could ward off bad thoughts and thus restore peace.
Today, Shinigamis continue to be part of modern literature and have gained their popularity through mangakas who have captured their stories in renowned mangas such as Death Note or Bleach.