Everything about Miko totally explained
is a
Japanese term that anciently meant "female shaman, shamaness; medium; prophet" who conveyed divine oracles, and currently means "shrine maiden; virgin consecrated to a deity" who serves at
Shinto shrines.
Background
The miko tradition dates back to the ancient eras of Japan. In ancient times, women who went into trances and conveyed prophecy or the words of the gods were called miko, not unlike the
Oracle at Delphi of ancient
Greece.
Later, miko were young female attendants at Shinto shrines. They were often the daughter(s) of the priest who presided over a given shrine. Roles of the miko included performing in ceremonial dances (miko-mai) and assisting priests in various ceremonies, especially weddings. The tradition continues and today miko can be found at many Shinto shrines. In modern times most miko are part-time employees or volunteers. Their duties include assisting with shrine functions, performing ceremonial dances, offering
Omikuji (a type of fortune telling), and staffing shrine shops.
It is somewhat difficult to assign a strict definition or English equivalent to the Japanese word "miko", though "shrine maiden" is most often used. Other terms that have been used as equivalents are
prophet,
medium,
priestess,
nun,
witch, or
sorceress. It should be noted that although Shinto has female priests—the term "priestess" isn't used in Shinto—they are not the same as miko: miko don't have the same degree of authority as that of an actual priest, although they can serve as the senior cleric of a shrine if no priest is available. The unique exception to this is that in ancient times, the prophecy revealed by miko was considered to be handed down directly from the
kami (spirits).
Theoretically, miko were required to be
virgins, however, exceptions have historically been made when one is imbued with a strong character. It is probably true that when a woman who was serving as a miko married, she abandoned her duties at the shrine in order to be with her husband and new family. This rule has since been mostly removed in modern times, though most still leave the service of the shrine or training for the priesthood should they wed.
The attire of a miko (traditionally and still worn today) consists of
hakama, a
kimono shirt, and
tabi. Occasionally miko wear a thin white
haori called "chihaya". The hakama is usually red, but other colors are not unheard of. The kimono shirt has long, wide sleeves and is always white, as white is a symbol of purity. White or red ribbons often adorn a miko's hair.
In fiction
as an
anime-like miko.]]
Miko are common characters in some Japanese literature,
manga, and
anime. Miko are often
stock characters and are readily identified by their distinctive costume. Perhaps the most common depiction of a miko has the character sweeping the grounds of a shrine with a bamboo-shafted broom. In some romantic stories, especially
bishōjo video games and
visual novels, miko are usually portrayed as attractive but extremely stuffy, temperamental girls--often due to limited or negative exposure to boys. This is in stark contrast to the friendly and demure stereotype of the Christian
nun in such stories.
Despite this mundane image, manga and anime typically portray the miko as a
heroine who fights evil spirits, demons, and ghosts, often with magical or supernatural powers. In such stories miko are generally depicted as being skilled in some variety of martial art, especially the use of a traditional Japanese weapon such as
yumi (longbow),
tanto (knife), or any of the various Japanese swords:
katana,
wakizashi, etc. Miko are almost always attributed the ability to do magic of various sorts, especially
o-fuda and various forms of
divination. In western
role-playing games, they're sometimes treated as rough equivalents to character classes such as Clerics, "white witches", or Paladins. These miko are sometimes referred to as
Betsushikime. In some cases, historical miko, such as
Izumo no Okuni, were believed to have been betsushikime.
Kuro Miko ("Black Miko", though more often translated as
Dark Miko or
Dark Priestess) are fictional, evil counterparts to traditional miko in Japanese fiction such as manga. They often serve
renegade priests or actual demons. The kuro miko is often very versed at
demonology and has a strong command of
black magic, and wear a darker version of the traditional outfit (burgundy, gold, or black instead of red), sometimes with a mask. Such characters have appeared in
InuYasha and
Shrine of the Morning Mist.
Examples of miko
Fictional
Himeko Kurusagawa and Chikane Himemiya, from the anime and manga series Kannazuki no Miko.
Tsukasa and Kagami Hiiragi from the anime and manga series Lucky Star.
Rei Hino, or Sailor Mars, from the anime and manga series Sailor Moon and in the live action series Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Kikyo, Kaede, Midoriko, and Kagome Higurashi, from the anime and manga series InuYasha.
Reimu Hakurei, main character of the Touhou Project series.
Mutsuki Asahina, one of the three main characters from the anime and manga series Haunted Junction.
Okinu Himuro, a teenage ghost miko from the anime and manga series Ghost Sweeper Mikami.
Takiko Okuda from the popular manga Fushigi Yugi Genbu Kaiden
Sarina (Mizuchi Saiou), from the anime series Yu-Gi-Oh! GX.
Miaka Yuki, Yui Hongo, and Suzuno Oosugi(minor) from the popular anime/manga Fushigi Yuugi.
Arashi from the manga and anime X.
Rika Furude from the anime series and video games Higurashi no Naku Koro ni.
Chizuru Kagura from the King of Fighters series—she is seen using the traditional outfit before fighting Orochi
Sayo-chan from the arcade video game Kiki Kaikai (also known as "Pocky" from the arcade game's SNES sequel Pocky and Rocky).
Keiko Asakura, from the anime and manga series Shaman King.
Mana Tatsumiya from the anime and manga series Negima!
Mina Hakuba of Konami's .
Kokon from the manga Kon Kon Kokon
Rin Yagami from the H-game Atlach=Nacha
Ryōko Hinomoto from the H-game Miko-san Fighter! Ryōko-chan
Princess Tomoyo from the manga/anime series
Tomiko & Toyoko Mima from the anime Key the Metal Idol
Kasumi Kisaragi from the anime Kujibiki Unbalance (2006 series)
Kureha Akabane from Night Wizard the animation.Further Information
Get more info on 'Miko'.
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