Azusa Yumi

Sacred bow that dispels ghosts and evil spirits in Shinto rituals

Azusa Yumi

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An azusa yumi (梓弓) is a sacred bow (yumi) used in certain Shinto rituals in Japan, as well as a Japanese musical bow, made from the wood of the Japanese azusa (梓) or Japanese cherry birch tree (Betula grossa).^[1] Playing an azusa yumi forms part of some Shinto rituals; in Japan, it is believed that merely the twanging of the bowstring will frighten ghosts and evil spirits away from a house. In Japanese poetry, the word azusa yumi functions as a makurakotoba ("pillow word", a kind of epithet).^[2]

The story is told in Japanese mythology that a golden bird perched on the bow of Emperor Jimmu, the great-grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu, and the first human ruler of Japan. This was seen as an extremely good omen; Jimmu's bow developed the power to dispel evil by the mere plucking of its string. His bow was made of azusa wood.

See also

• Apotropaic magic
• Amulet
• Talisman
• Omamori (御守 or お守り)
• Ofuda (御札/お札) -- a paper charm, similar to a Taoist/Daoist Fulu.
• Hama Ya (破魔矢) -- an "Evil-Destroying Arrow".
• Hama Yumi (破魔弓) -- an "Evil-Destroying Bow".
• Saigū Yumi (祭宮弓) -- a "Ceremonial Bow".
• Kabura-ya (鏑矢) -- a "Turnip[-headed] Arrow".

References