Ryūko-Myōjin
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Once upon a time in Japan, a dragon fell in love with a goddess. This minisode brings you the story of the Ryūko-Myōjin shrine and the legend behind it.
Researched, written, and produced by Corinne Wieben with original music by Purple Planet.
Music
Purple Planet - The Rice Fields
Purple Planet - Oriental Atmosphere
Purple Planet - Sense of Loss
Purple Planet - Shadowlands
Sources
Cali, Joseph, John Dougill, and Geoff Ciotti. “Tsukubusuma Jinja.” In Shinto Shrines: A Guide to the Sacred Sites of Japan’s Ancient Religion, 261–64. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 2013.
Carter, Caleb. “Power Spots and the Charged Landscape of Shinto.” Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 45, no. 1 (2018): 145-174.
Chaudhuri, Saroj Kumar. Hindu Gods and Goddesses in Japan. New Delhi: Vedams eBooks Ltd., 2003.
Cherrygarden, Fred. “Ryuko-Myojin Shrine.” Atlas Obscura. Published May 2, 2024. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ryukomyo-shrine-japan.
Cherrygarden, Fred. “Ryuren no Kane.” Atlas Obscura. Published August 8, 2024. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ryuren-no-kane.
Faure, Bernard. “From Dragon To Snake: Uga Benzaiten.” In Protectors and Predators: Gods of Medieval Japan, Volume 2, 191–234. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 2016.
Kimball, Donny. “The Legend of Enoshima | The Tale of Gozuryu & Benzaiten.” A Different Side of Japan. Published November 18, 2016. https://donnykimball.com/enoshima-2f4a58d547ce.
Köck, Stefan, Brigitte Pickl-Kolaczia, and Bernhard Scheid (eds.). Religion, Power, and the Rise of Shinto in Early Modern Japan. London: Bloomsbury, 2021.
Ludvik, Catherine. “From Sarasvatī to Benzaiten.” ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, 2001.
Ludvik, Catherine. “Uga-Benzaiten: The Goddess and the Snake.” Impressions, no. 33 (2012): 94–109.
Mills, D. E. “Medieval Japanese Tales: Part II.” Folklore 84, no. 1 (1973): 58–74.
Nenzi, Laura. “Cultured Travelers and Consumer Tourists in Edo-Period Sagami.” Monumenta Nipponica 59, no. 3 (2004): 285–319.
Ono, S., W.P. Woodard, and S. Sakamoto. Shinto the Kami Way. North Clarendon, VT: Tuttle Publishing, 2004.
Susumu, Shimazono, 島茴進, and Regan E. Murphy. “State Shinto in the Lives of the People: The Establishment of Emperor Worship, Modern Nationalism, and Shrine Shinto in Late Meiji.” Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 36, no. 1 (2009): 93–124.
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Turnbull, Stephen. War in Japan: 1467-1615. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2002.
