This study aimed to analyze and identify the position of miko shamans in Japan throughout its history. First by interpreting the established theory on shamanism, the general position of shamanism and the miko was shown. Second by thorough research of Japanese history and the political, social and religious changes within it, the origin of the changing social position and declining number of miko was established and its reasons defined. Third, by changing the focus to Japanese popular culture of movies, literature, games, and especially the world of animated series known as anime, the character of miko was analysed and the prominent charasteristics highlighted then compared to the written tradition highlighted in the first part of the thesis. Now portrayed mostly as “cute” shrine maidens or “cute” shaman warriors they show the minimalization of the tradition of miko and distancing away from the true miko known in history as shamans of great prowess, trusted by the Japanese populi to mediate between the living and the gods. However the emergence of the urban shamaness character is an added recent phenomenon connected with the new age spirituality, for which it is found that it aims to connect the Japanese people back with nature and spirituality.
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