A Study of Shamanism in the Northern Parts of Kyuushu Japan

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In the northern prefectures of kyuushuu, such as Fukuoka, Saga, and Nagasaki, there are found shamans who are called "Tounin," "Hounin," or "Dainin." Research was conducted by interviewing 40 shamans questioning them about their life-histories, beliefs, religious activities and their concept of super natural being. The shamans are mostly women (80 %), but there are also men, in both cases, more than 60 years old. From their life-histories we can say that before their shamanization, most of them suffered illness of loss of their husbands by death or divorce. However, in some cases they say that in their family lines there is always one person who is born to become a shaman and they have fulfilled that destiny. The shamans usually build their shrines in their homes to enshrine their guardian deities. Two types of deities are commonly found : "Inari" which is popular among Shinto shamans and "Fudou" or other esoteric Buddhism deities among Buddhism-oriented shamans. The shamans believe that the origin of disease and unhappiness is often the result of the dead spirit attaching itself to a person ("Shiryoukaze") or by the anger of other people ("Ikiryoukaze"). In the case of "Shiryoukazetuki", person often appears to be having a fever for no reason. There is also called "Yakotsuki" which is a kind of mental disease believed to be caused by a small evil animal called "Yako" (wild fox). The main religious activities of a shaman are : Exorcising a person of evil sprits, "Otazune," and "Kamiage" or "Reilanage." "Otazune" is when a person is asking about his fortune, etc. through direct contact with the shaman's guardian deities "Kamiage" and " Reikanage" are when a shaman hears the voices of the abandoned spirits or dead spirits, respectively, in both cases offering words of ap ology ("Okotowake") for one's rudeness to the super natural beings.