Who are the Shinigami?
Illustration by Takehara Shunsensai from the book “Ehon Hyaku Monogatari”.
In Japanese, the word Shinigami is formed by combining two Japanese words: shi, which means death, and kami, which means god. So, the term Shinigami can be translated as: god of death.
However, the origin of shinigami is not clear. Folklore and mythology around shinigami have been passed down through generations in a culture where everything has a spirit, including people, plants, rivers, and things.
In any case, these spirits of death ensure that individuals pass away at their designated time – and that they are accompanied in their transition. So, they’re not necessarily evil beings even though their role may be frightening for most people.
Death in Japanese culture
Paper lanterns floated in Hirosawa pond, Kyoto, Japan; honoring loved ones.
Death is deeply ingrained in Japanese history, customs, and religious beliefs, and this is evident in the concept of shinigami.
Japanese people recognize the presence of spirits (kami), in both nature and daily life. Additionally, honoring ancestors is highly emphasized in Japanese culture. The living relatives are believed to be watched over and protected by the spirits of their deceased family members, so they regularly pay homage to their ancestors by offering prayers.
One example of this is the Toro Nagashi, a traditional Japanese ceremony that usually takes place during the O-Bon festival in August, a time when ancestors' spirits are believed to return home. The term "Toro Nagashi" translates as "floating lanterns". Each lantern is said to represent a spirit, guiding them back to the spiritual world after their brief visit to the physical realm.
Therefore, the afterlife and supernatural beings are always present in Japanese traditions – and despite the passage of time, this tradition remains unchanged in Japanese culture.
Shinigami in popular culture
Traditionally, the shinigami are described using a candle to measure the length of each person's life – and life is over when the flame burns out. It cannot be enlarged or reduced and these gods of death remind the individual that death is inevitable if a person's time is up.
That’s why shinigami are neither good nor evil, they are just doing their job.
However, in popular culture, they usually take an evil role with a frightening appearance similar to the Western Grim Reaper or as demonic creatures. But, this is usually due to a lack of understanding, fear of death, assimilation of Western cultural concepts, and exaggeration of some traits.
In fact, it is quite obvious that for movies and TV shows, it is often necessary to represent death as something terrible to give excitement to the plot. But, despite their depiction as malevolent beings, death is not necessarily frowned upon by all Japanese, but rather the passage to a new life.
Therefore, Shinigami have been re-imagined as a grim reaper or punisher, ensuring that those who have committed evil deeds face harsh punishments in the afterlife.
In anime and manga have depicted shinigami several times, and they take many forms in modern stories. For instance, in Bleach, they are depicted as Japanese samurai to keep order and peace in the afterlife. In Death Note, the central figure in the series owns the notebook and he kills anyone by writing their name in it.
So… Should we fear Shinigami?
The association of Shinigami with death (and the unknown) may be frightening for some people. These representations constitute a type of creative manifestation and may not necessarily depict any objective entities with precision.
Although they are portrayed as malevolent beings in popular culture, the ideal would be to accept death as a natural process of life that sooner or later will come.
One's personal beliefs, cultural background, and individual perspective on death and the afterlife ultimately determine whether Shinigami should be feared or not. But, the best thing to do is to try to make peace with the idea of death because it will come.
Are Shinigami different from the Grim Reaper?
Image by Gordon Taylor in Pixabay
The Shinigami and the Grim Reaper are distinct entities that come from different cultural backgrounds and mythologies.
Shinigami are unique to Japanese folklore and mythology. The Grim Reaper, on the other hand, is a personification of death rooted in European folklore and mythology. It is often depicted as a skeletal figure in a cape holding a scythe, symbolizing the certainty of death and the cut that will come from life.
In any case, both figures fulfill the role of personifying death and its value since death allows us to love life much more and appreciate the moments we have had with our loved ones.
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