Traditions and customs

The World of Itako, Female Shamans of Tohoku (Part 1)

[Part 1] The World of Itako, Traditional Female Shamans of Tohoku | What Kind of Shamanic Arts Do Itako Use?

Introduction

While reverence for intangible things like "prayer" and "faith" is still valued today, in the past in Japan, these were even closer to everyday life

The Niomon Gate of Osorezan Bodaiji Temple
The Niomon Gate of Osorezan Bodaiji Temple

One example of this is the existence of practitioners who make a living through folk prayers and incantations, rather than being Shinto priests or Buddhist monks who serve gods and Buddhas

Although now considered rare, the lineage of these practices continues unbroken, and among them,the "Itako"are perhaps the most famous.

While itako are particularly known for their "spirit channeling" technique , which involves invoking the spirits of the deceased to communicate with them , the details of what kind of profession they actually are are not widely known.

Therefore, in this article, we will look at an overview of the Itako, specific examples of the techniques they use, and the tools they use as professionals

We will also introduce other practitioners of magical and spiritual abilities similar to the Itako, who exist throughout the Tohoku region

What is an Itako?

Itako refers to female shamans who were blind, visually impaired, or had some other form of visual impairment, primarily active in Aomori, Akita, and Iwate prefectures (southern region)

Lake Usoriyama at Mount Osore
Lake Usoriyama at Mount Osore

A shaman is a religious professional who acts as an intermediary between gods and humans, performing various magical rituals and ceremonies

There are various theories as to why it is limited to visually impaired women, but some suggest that their senses become heightened to compensate for their visual impairment, leading to the belief that they possess high spiritual power, and that organizing a specific professional group serves as a form of social welfare

The origins of the Itako are also unclear, but it is said that during the Edo period, the wives of mountain ascetics learned sorcery themselves, and an organization of visually impaired female shamans was formed

Currently, it is said that most Itako belong to the "Daiwa-shu" sect of Shōtoku-san Daijō-ji Temple, located in Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture

Daijoji is an organization of priestesses from northern Miyagi Prefecture to southern Iwate Prefecture who practice the "Oshirasama faith," which is unique to the Tohoku region, and is the only religious group in Japan composed of blind people. As its name suggests, it is descended from the Tendai sect, but itako themselves are often described as a type of priestess rather than monks or Shinto priests.

However, its positioning is unique, and the content and style of the rituals and magic described later suggest a syncretism of esoteric Buddhism, Shinto, and ancient ceremonial methods

Incidentally, the founder of Bodaiji Temple on Mount Osore was the Tendai monk Jikaku Daishi Ennin, but it is now a Soto Zen temple and does not oversee the Itako (female shamans)

Examples of magic performed by Itako

Now, let's look at some typical examples of the types of magical rituals that Itako perform

In this context, "magic" refers to a spell or incantation , not a curse

These can also be described as religious acts based on rituals and beliefs, and their role as a point of contact with a more familiar spiritual world is perhaps the true essence of the Itako as folk shamans

Three examples are given below

Spirit mediumship (summoning of Buddha)

"Kuchiyose"is a famous technique that is practically synonymous with Itako, and the ability to have the souls of the deceased possess oneself and communicate with them is often associated with the image of Mount Osore.

Enmei Jizo statue at Mount Osore
Enmei Jizo statue at Mount Osore

The special ability to communicate between this world and the next is precisely the manifestation of the supernatural powers expected of a shaman

There are three types of spirit mediumship: "shinkuchi," "furukuchi," and "ikikuchi." Shinkuchi is for summoning the soul of a person who has recently died, furukuchi is for a person who has died approximately 100 days or more ago, and ikikuchi is for a person who is still alive.

It is said that the practice of "living in the hand" is almost never carried out these days, but in the past it was used, for example, to search for whether a person who had gone missing and whose fate was unknown was still alive somewhere

The Shinguchi ceremony was originally performed in households in mourning, and depending on the region, it was performed at various times, such as immediately after burial or on the 49th day after death

The general flow is as follows:

  1. They chant sutras and prayers in front of the Buddhist altar, inviting various gods and Buddhas to descend
  2. They ask for the deceased's age, date of death, and gender, and then recite a spell to summon the spirit of the recently deceased
  3. The medium allows a spirit to possess her, and speaks through that spirit's mouth
  4. The spirit bids farewell and departs, sending back the gods and Buddhas that it had brought down

The above is a general overview of the spirit mediumship process, but it is said that there are certain patterns to what the spirits say

In summary, this can be expressed in the following format:

  • Words of gratitude for being called here
  • Feelings at the time of death and what it's like in the afterlife
  • Reflections on interactions during his lifetime
  • Wishes for those left behind
  • Predictions of good or bad fortune for family and friends

It has also been pointed out that the spirits of the deceased generally communicate with their parents, then siblings, then relatives, and finally acquaintances, in order of closeness of blood relation, and that this coincides with the order in which incense is offered

Another characteristic is that the spirits often warn family and friends of good or bad omens as they depart, and it is thought that the mediumship of the Itako plays a role in a kind of "oracle."

Invoking the Gods

Next,"divine invocation," or what is commonly known as oracle, can also be listed as one of the techniques of the Itako.

Fudo Myoo at the inner sanctuary of Mount Osore
Fudo Myoo at the inner sanctuary of Mount Osore

The role of receiving divine messages and conveying them to people is indeed characteristic of a shaman, and it can be said that this is a shamanistic skill that is not limited to the Itako or other Japanese examples, but is considered to be a universal skill

In the Tohoku region, in addition to the Itako, there are shamans called "Gyōja," "Gomiso," and "Kamisama," and there are reports that these practitioners, who are not visually impaired, are primarily responsible for summoning deities (Teruaki Ishizu, "Notes on the Shamanistic Customs of Tohoku (2): On the Tsugaru Region," Keio University Graduate School of Sociology Bulletin No. 10, 1970)

However, some Itako possessed the skill to convey divine oracles through summoning spirits, and while it is thought that there was a loose division of roles, there does not seem to have been a clear distinction between the two types of shrines

What's interesting here is that the "gods" referred to in the ritual of summoning a deity are not only gods in the context of Shintoism, but also include Buddhist deities, and the ritual is performed through syncretic Shinto-Buddhist practices

There is no unified ritual method among Itako and other shamans; there are individual differences in the style passed down from each master. However, let's look at one example of the general flow of a divine summoning

  1. While waving his staff, he chants prayers and sutras, summoning the myriad gods and all Buddhist deities
  2. The local guardian deity or the family's tutelary deity is summoned, and the practitioner becomes possessed by the spirit and delivers an oracle (regarding the fortune of the house, the success or failure of crops, the health of the family, etc.)
  3. After the oracle is delivered, prayers and scriptures are chanted to send the summoned deities back to their original world

These oracles were often performed at the client's home on specific days, such as during the spring and autumn equinoxes. It is said that in the past, the Itako would travel around for these seasonal rituals, but nowadays, it is more common for clients to visit the Itako directly when they experience misfortune or illness and have the gods invoked

Furthermore, as will be discussed later, a characteristic of Itako is that they always carry a cylinder containing a hanging scroll of their guardian deity on their backs. However, in interviews conducted at Mount Osore, it has been observed that they carry a round cylinder when summoning a god and a square cylinder when summoning a Buddha

The coexistence of Shinto gods and Buddhist deities is a noteworthy aspect of ancient Japanese beliefs, and the way in which Itako shamans distinguish between Shinto and Buddhist deities according to their respective purposes and roles is a fascinating practice

Let's play with Oshira

Itako"Oshira Asobase," which is similar to summoning a deity.

As previously mentioned, Oshirasama is an indigenous deity unique to the Tohoku region, and Daijo-ji Temple of the Yamato sect, to which many Itako (female shamans) belong, is one of the centers that carries on its worship

Oshirasama at Tono Denshoen (Tono City, Iwate Prefecture)
Tono Folklore Park(Tono City, Iwate Prefecture)

Oshirasama are a pair of male and female figures made from mulberry wood about 30 cm tall, representing the gods of sericulture, agriculture, and horses. They are characterized by being dressed in multiple layers of cloth garments. They are densely distributed mainly in Aomori, Iwate, and northern Miyagi prefectures, and examples can also be found in Fukushima, Yamagata, southwestern Hokkaido, and parts of Ibaraki prefecture

This enigmatic household deity has been worshipped for generations in extremely closed environments within each family, and its full nature remains unclear. However, it is one of the fundamental beliefs that has been highly valued in the region, and it is a folk culture in which the worship is still being passed down to the present day

Around January 15th, the Little New Year, women dress Oshirasama in new clothes and apply white powder, and then an Itako is called in to hold Oshirasama in her hands and play with it; this is called Oshira Asobase

At this time, the Itakothe "Oshira Saibun"to worship Oshirasama. It is also worth noting that it is believed that if one's body is stroked with the sacred object of Oshirasama held in the Itako's hand, illnesses will be cured, and it can be said that this has a powerful exorcising effect.

While Oshirasama is a highly revered deity who is worshipped with great care, there are also many associated taboos, suggesting that the presence of professional practitioners of sorcery, such as Itako, was essential when performing important rituals

[Series] The World of Itako, Traditional Female Shamans of Tohoku

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT
[Part 1] The World of Itako, Traditional Female Shamans of Tohoku | What Kind of Shamanic Arts Do Itako Use?
https://jp.neft.asia/archives/49064
To begin with, while reverence for intangible things like "prayer" and "faith" is still cherished today, in the past in Japan, these were even closer to everyday life. One example of this is the existence of practitioners who, rather than being Shinto priests or Buddhist monks serving gods and Buddhas, made a living through folk prayers and incantations. Although now considered rare, their lineage continues unbroken, and among them, the "Itako" of Mount Osore in Aomori Prefecture are particularly famous. The Itako are especially known for their "Kuchiyose" (spirit channeling), where they communicate with the deceased by channeling spirits, but in reality...
Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT
[Part 2] The World of Itako, Traditional Female Shamans of Tohoku | The Training Process and the Tools They Use
https://jp.neft.asia/archives/49068
The Training Process to Become an Itako We have looked at examples of the shamanistic practices performed by Itako, but what kind of training is necessary to become an Itako? Currently, new apprentices to become Itako are very rare, and the transmission of the culture is one of the challenges, but it is important to note that in the past, it also served as an independent occupation for young women who were visually impaired. The following is an example of the training process as collected folklore. Introduction to Early Training Around the age of 12 or 13, the apprentice brings rice and charcoal to an Itako master to become an apprentice. Here, for several years (typically 2 to 4 years), they take care of the master's personal needs...
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Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT
[Part 2] The World of Itako, Traditional Female Shamans of Tohoku | Itako Spells and Shamans of Tohoku Region
https://jp.neft.asia/archives/49072
Examples of Itako Spells As mentioned earlier, when Itako perform shamanistic arts such as spirit mediumship, they chant various incantations, or spells. But what exactly are these? They vary depending on the region and the practitioner, but some have been collected through folklore research. Let's look at two examples below. An Example of a Spirit Mediumship Prayer Used by Tsugaru Itako The first example is from "Selected Folklore Materials: Customs of Shamans II" (National Geographic Association, 1986), and is an example of a spirit mediumship prayer used by Tsugaru Itako. “Whose path are you calling? Is it the path of the Buddha of the eighth day? From here...”.
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