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Cleansing flame, provide me with your guidance. I feel a strange force approaching.
"Miko" (JP), also known as "Shrine Maiden" in Western media, is a term for a female character who works as a shrine maiden for a Japanese Shinto shrine. They are responsible for maintaining the shrine and will do activities such as learning ritual dances to purify it or preparing offerings for the gods. They are most recognizable by their traditional red and white attire.
Etymology[]
Meaning of the Term[]
Miko (巫女) comes from the words "miko" (巫), meaning "shaman", and "ko" (女), meaning woman.[1]
Localization[]
It is almost always localized into English as "shrine maiden".
History[]
Miko date back far into Japan's history, believed to have originated in the Jouman period between 14,000 and 300 BC. They would communicate with the gods and convey their teachings. They would prophesize the future, often in the form of a religious dance called a Kagura dance.[2][3]
Nowadays, miko are less serious in nature, with being a shrine maiden even being considered as a part-time job.[4]
Because of their prevalence in Japan's history and culture, the inclusion of miko characters in media is very popular.
Characteristics[]
Miko are female characters who work at Shinto shrines. Miko traditionally wear a pair of red hakama, which are pleated trousers, or a long red skirt, along with a white kosode, an early form of the kimono. They also often wear red or white hair ribbons. During the Kagura dances, they wear another white garment over their kosode called a chihaya.[5]
Personality[]
While they are working as shrine maidens, miko are very lady-like and proper, acting with grace around others. Some miko carry these characteristics into their everyday persona, while others act somewhat differently, though most are still depicted as being fairly kind.
Miko may have a layer of mysticism added onto them since they are connected to the spiritual world, with many even being depicted as having supernatural powers.
Similar Japanese Archetypes[]
- Butsudere: A term for a character who is the embodiment of the teachings and principles of Buddha.
- Oujodere: A term for a female character who is gentle, kind, and princess-like.
- Yamato Nadeshiko: A term for a female character who is a representation of the Japanese ideal of a perfect woman.
List of Characters[]
Gallery[]
 Yae Amagami from Amagami-san Chi no Enmusubi  Asahi Amagami from Amagami-san Chi no Enmusubi  Chikane Himemiya and Himeko Kurusugawa from Kannazuki No Miko .jpg "Nozomi Toujou from Love Live! School idol project (1).jpg (1,013 KB)") Nozomi Toujou from Love Live! School idol project  Tsukasa Hiiragi (left) and Kagami Hiiragi (right) from Lucky☆Star  Sayo Minakami from I admire magical girls, and... |
References[]
- ↑ What is Miko. Pixiv Encyclopedia.
- ↑ Miko: The Shrine Maidens of Japan. Yabai Writers (2017/06/27).
- ↑ Miko: The Shrine Maiden. Shotengai (2023/05/10).
- ↑ Miko - Japanese Encyclopedia. Matcha (2020/05/14).
- ↑ Miko Shrine Maidens. Japan Experience (2017/01/14).