A kodama (木魂?) in Japanese tradition is a spirit residing in certain trees, comparable to the dryads (Greek nymphs of the trees). Living in old woodlands, they are inseparable from the tree life they inhabit. In appearance, they might be anything from humanoid people to otherworldly lights. Legend has it that they guard the woods and provide life to the landscapes around them. It is said that taking down trees that are home to Kodama is a terrible sin that might unleash strong curses. Kodama are still highly esteemed in modern Japan, where they are celebrated with ceremonies and an unwavering reverence for their role in nature.
Characteristics
Roles of Kodama in Mythology
The meaning of kodama has changed over the centuries: initially, it was a kami (nature deity) associated with trees, capable, according to some, of moving from one tree to another. It was also considered a sound, as it was believed that they enjoyed imitating human voices in the forests, creating echoes (hence, one of the meanings attributed to the word Kodama, 谺). Since the kodama possesses supernatural powers, felling a tree believed to house a kodama is considered unlucky. Therefore, the Japanese use a sacred rope called Shimenawa to mark the trunks of these trees. Seeing a kodama is considered a good omen, as it signifies that the place is vibrant and full of positive energy.
Around the Edo period, kodama lost their status as forest deities and were included among the yōkai, omnipresent spirits in Japanese tradition. The kodama was humanized, to the extent that there are stories about kodama taking on human form to marry their beloved.
Appearance
The Kodamas are inhabitants of the thick forests. They usually have a human appearance and each individual is unique in their appearance and personality. It is said that they can come in non-human forms, and they can look as beautiful or terrible as they wish. Most of them are shown with an adorable appearance. Their bodies, short in stature, are semi-transparent, pale green or whitish.
There is no consensus on the appearance of kodama. In ancient legends, they are either invisible or indistinguishable from ordinary trees. Toriyama Sekian, who studied many creatures from Japanese folklore, identified the kodama as a man or woman standing near a tree in his famous book “Gazu hyakki yagyō.” Hayao Miyazaki widely used kodama in his film “Princess Mononoke,” depicting them as small white humanoid figures. Other modern interpretations show kodama as men, young or old, or as elves, borrowed from European pagan traditions.
In Literature
The first known mention regarding kodama is found in Japan’s oldest and most well-known book, the Kojiki (“Chronicles of Ancient Events”), which talks about the tree deity Wakunochi-no-kami. The oldest text to use the term kodama dates back to the Heian period, in the book Wamyō ruijushō (written between 931 and 938), a dictionary that displayed appropriate kanji for Japanese words; it listed 古多万 as the Japanese word for tree spirits. Another book from the Heian period, Genji monogatari (“The Tale of Genji”), uses 木魂, the term kodama, to describe a kind of dwelling for goblins within a tree; in the same book, the phrase “whether oni or kami or kitsune or kodama” demonstrates that these four spirits were thought to be separate entities.
Traditions Related to Kodama
In Aogashima, in the Izu Islands, people place small shrines at the base of Japanese cedar trees, where they worship and pray to kodama. In the village of Mitsune, on Hachijo-jima Island, there is still an annual festival dedicated to them, during which forgiveness is sought for the cut trees.
Etymology
In Japan, where the spoken language predates the written one, three different kanji characters have evolved over time to write the word “kodama,” dating back to ancient times.
The oldest, 古多万, is highly ambiguous. The word breaks down into 古 (“ko,” meaning old), 多 (“da,” meaning many), and 万 (“ma,” meaning ten thousand). The ancient Japanese, lacking their own writing system, often chose kanji characters from the Chinese script based on sound rather than meaning when they adopted the Chinese writing system—this is the most probable explanation for the use of 古多万.
However, this combination was considered unsatisfactory, so in subsequent years, 木魂 (木- “ko,” meaning tree, and 魂- “dama,” meaning soul) was adopted, as well as 木魅. Recently, 木霊 (木- “ko,” meaning tree, and 霊- “dama,” meaning spirit) tends to be used as well. There is little difference between 木魂, 木魅, or 木霊, all variations of the term “tree spirit”; another kanji used for “kodama,” 谺, also means echo, as it was a popular belief that echoes were the work of these spirits. It was also believed that the sound of falling trees was, in fact, the lament of the kodama.
Popular Culture
Characters and plots related to Japanese mythology are a recurring theme in products associated with manga, anime, and video games.
- In the video game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for Nintendo Switch, forest spirits called “kologs” can be found. These are a clear reference to Kodama, as they share characteristics such as resembling humans but with a tiny stature, in addition to being green. They inhabit the forest of the Deku Tree, a massive tree that seems to be the offspring or reincarnation of the Deku Tree found in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
- In the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering, kodama are a type of spirits, green in color, situated in the dimensional plane of Kamigawa, a place inspired by feudal Japan and Shinto cosmology.
- In the game collection developed by Atlus Megami Tensei, there is a recruitable demon named Kodama. It appears in two franchise games: Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE.
- In the seventh installment of Zun’s Touhou Project, kodamas appear frequently throughout the game, appearing as small pollen balls moving at high speed, celebrating the arrival of spring after a long winter.
- In the 1997 animated film Princess Mononoke by Studio Ghibli and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, kodamas are depicted as small white beings with large heads, eyes, and black mouths. They always have their heads slightly tilted, and when they move, they tremble and make a clattering sound. At certain moments in the film, they emit this sound all at once, such as when the Nightwalker appears and transforms into the Spirit of the Forest.
- In the anime Blue Exorcist, Shiemi Moriyama can summon a kodama.
- In the Digimon anime, Palmon is a Kodama.
- In the video game Super Mario Galaxy 2, kodamas appear as an easter egg. If the first-person view is used on a mountain in the Shiverburn Galaxy, three mysterious creatures can be seen approaching. There is no way to see them up close, although some people have tried to do so. The same happens in the video game Super Mario 3D Land, where a ghost appears at the end of World 4-4 if you skip on the last platforms before completing the level.
- In the game Nioh, kodamas are represented as small green beings with bowls on their heads and sometimes carrying a staff. Throughout the story, they help the protagonist find weapons, armor, or additional amrita in exchange for a modest amount of money.
- The French shoegaze band Alcest has an album titled Kodama.
- In the song “Luz” by Venezuelan rapper Lil Supa, a voice-over mentions the word “kodama” several times in the track.
- The Pokémon Trevenant is likely based on a kodama, which occasionally inhabit ancient trees.
