The Cult of Trees

The Cult of Trees

Summary

The cult of trees in Japan shows some traces of cultural origins of Japanese civilisation, a folk who came by boat to the Japanese islands and who moved from a seafaring life to a terrestrial life. The belief in dragons shows the sustenance of an original maritime imagination and mythology. Japan is a very forested country and trees occupy a certain role in shinto rites but cult of trees is especially strong in folk culture, folk tales. Contemporary literature and cartoons show how important remain trees and forest in the folk beliefs.