Tuan Anh Bui

Professor Katsanos
LBST 2102
6 April 2016
How Religion Influence the Ainu
The Ainu are an indigenous group consisting of about 25,000 people located in northern
Japan (2). The Ainus practice animism, holding the belief that all of nature contains a kamuy, or
divine spirit or being (1, 5). They divide their gods into several categories: nature gods, animal
gods, plant gods, and object gods. These gods play a daily role in the lives of the Ainus, with
Ainu meaning human, the opposite of god (1).
According to the Ainu cosmology, the world formed when oil separated from the ocean
by rising up and forming the sky. What remained in the ocean then later became land similar to
other earth diver themes. After the initial creation of the world, following the Ainus etiology
myth, the first two gods was created from the water vapor that gathered in the sky. These two
gods would be responsible for the creation of life and the objects in the world. These gods would
then marry and create the other gods, including the sun and the moon gods. The humans living at
the time did not know how sustain themselves until the demigod Okikurmi came down from
Heaven and taught the humans how to hunt, fish, and make fire (2, 3).
The Ainu relied on nature, and therefore the gods, for their survival (1, 5). They hunted
and fished for their food, and grew crops to help supplement their food supply (1). They only
hunted in limited quantities, as to not displease the gods since animals contained spirits of

visitors from another world. The men would do the hunting and fishing while the women did
tasks such as weaving and farming. Cooking was done over a fire pit found in every home. This
fire pit is where the Ainu worshiped the goddess of fire (2).
Since the Ainu believe the gods are disguised as plants, animals, and object, the Ainu
people try to please these gods whenever and however they can. The Ainu hold numerous
ceremonies yearlong, from ceremonies for their ancestors, completion of a new house, and the
start of salmon season. The most common ceremony is the sending back of gods and spirits who
disguise themselves in the form of animals, plants, and objects that supply the necessities needed
for the Ainus survival. Not all the gods were good however. There were evil gods that would
cause harm to the Ainu people. For example, the Ainu would hold magic ceremonies in attempt
to ward of the gods that cause the disease of small pox (1). The Ainu would offer goods to the
gods such as wine, food, or an inau, a decorative wooden pole. Usually, a line or fence of inaus
found outside the main house in a village would serve a sacred altar area where rituals would be
held (2). The Ainu would hold several festivals where sacred dances dedicated to the gods would
be performed. These dances played an important part of daily life by allowing people to express
their feelings of joy and sorrow with the gods. These dances would often be performed as a
group with music and range from narrative dances, work dances, and dances representing plants
and animals (1).
In the rite of passage to becoming an adult, both the boys and the girls had to separate
from being little kids and had to take on more important roles. During the transition to adulthood,
the boys would learn to hunt and make tools (2). The males were considered adults at the age of
16, where they would wear loincloths for the first time. The girls would practice weaving and
sewing (2). At the start of age 12, the girls lips and arms are tattooed by a skilled older woman.

When the girls reached 16 years of age they are considered and adults and their tattoos are
completed and they are incorporated into society and ready for marriage (1, 4). Marriages among
the Ainu was either arranged by the parents or consensual. Men were able to marry at age 18,
while females were ready at 16. Men proposed to women by visiting her house and eating half a
bowl of rice. If the woman finishes the rest, she accepts the marriage proposal (1). When they are
engaged, the couple would exchange gifts to each other. The men would give a carved wooden
knife to the women, with the complexity reflecting his skill and his love for her. The women
would give embroidered clothing to the men, also with the complexity demonstrating her skill
and love (2). At the wedding ceremony, everyone would pray to the goddess of fire. Later, when
the wife is five months pregnant, the prayer to wear a maternity belt is performed, known as the
cyakutai. The husbands loincloth would be used for the maternity belt. At seven months
pregnant, the body of the female is purified through a ceremony. The actual birth of the child is
done on the left side of the fireplace, where an elder would pray to the goddess of fire for an easy
delivery. When the child is born they are given temporary names till the age of three. These
names would have meaning to help fend off evil spirits to insure the baby grows up healthy (1).
The Ainu of Japan believed that all things in nature have a spiritual presence. They
worshiped nature as it gave them the sustenance to live. Their beliefs influenced the way they
lived as they saw that gods were all around them.

Works Cited
http://www.ainu-museum.or.jp/en/study/eng01.html (1)
http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Japan-to-Mali/Ainu.html (2)
READING: Types of Myths (3)
READING: Initiation Rites in greater detail (4)
READING: Types of Powers (5)