Taking their point of departure from the criticism of the "Origin of the Japanese People and Culture and Formaion of the Japanese State, " published in the present journal, Vol.13, No.3, the two pioneer Volkskundler of Japan discuss many basic problems concerning the inherent religious belief of the Japanese people and other aspects of Japanese culture, such as, (1) rice culture and the Imperial Family, (2) relation of Japanese culture to the South, (3) marebito (stranger-god)-belief, (4) tama, kami, and musubi, (5) principal kami, guest-kami, controller-kami, subshrine, (6) mo and mono belief, (7) ancestor soul and kami, (8) mythology, (9) village community and the ujigami (clan-kami), (10) literature and arts, (11) food, clothing and dwelling. Among the many important views proposed by the two scholars is that of the concept of musubi (binding), described here for the first time by Mr. Origuchi. He contends that there must have existed in Japan a kind of magician who could bind and fix the tama (soul) to the human body, thereby making the latter a kami (or god). These magicians were consecrated as musubi-no-kami (kami who binds), who later appear as central figures in the Shinto pantheon. Mr. Yanagida remains rather sceptical toward this view. On the marebito-belief, too, the difference of opinion of many years' standing between the two scholars has been openly discussed for the first time.
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