View source for Mukori

{{Mukori}}

'''Mukori''' ([[Onshokoese language|Onshokoese]]: {{OnshokoeseScript|Mukori}}, [mɯᵝkɔɺʲi], literally "the faith") is a religion originating from [[Onshokostan]], and is also the most widely practiced religion in [[Todendugayo]],  [[Hiwashjwigo]], and [[Aksinshika]]. Classified as an [[Indigenous peoples of Etheisia|indigenous Etheisian]] religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Onshokostan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Mukorists'', although adherents rarely use that term themselves, instead preferring to call themselves ''roshdwamichi'', literally "the faithful ones". Although the ''de facto'' central authority in control of Mukori is the [[Emperor of Onshokostan]], this role has become wholly ceremonial, with much diversity of belief and practice evident among practitioners.

A polytheistic and animistic religion, Mukori revolves around supernatural entities called the ''kamuichi'' ({{OnshokoeseScript|kamuichi}}, commonly translated as "gods"). The ''kamuichi'' are believed to inhabit all things, including forces of nature and prominent landscape locations. ''Kamuichi'' are worshipped at ''TBD'' household shrines, family shrines, and ''twanshe'' public shrines. The latter are staffed by priests, known as ''yokuuchi'', who oversee offerings of food and drink to the specific ''kamuichi'' enshrined at that location. This is done to cultivate harmony between humans and ''kamuichi'' and to solicit the latter's blessing. Other common rituals include the ''TBD'' dances, rites of passage, and seasonal festivals. Public shrines facilitate forms of divination and supply religious objects, such as amulets, to the religion's adherents. Mukori places a major conceptual focus on ensuring purity, largely by cleaning practices such as ritual washing and bathing, especially before worship. Little emphasis is placed on specific moral codes or particular afterlife beliefs, although the dead are deemed capable of becoming ''kamuichi''. The religion has no single creator or specific doctrine, and instead exists in a diverse range of local and regional forms.

Generally, Mukori can be divided into four major sects: Traditional Mukori, Protestant Mukori, Theocentric Mukori, and Transcendental Mukori. Traditional Mukori is defined by its faithfulness to the original beliefs and practices of Mukori first written down in the ''[[Tyahdushtekoyuudzu]]'' between the 6th and 8th centuries CE. Protestant Mukori is similar to Traditional Mukori, but rejects the godhood of the living [[Emperor of Onshokostan|Emperor]] and him being the Gods' representative on Earth; this lead to the persecution of Protestants in Onshokostan proper and the sect finding a large pool of members in [[Todendugayo]]. Theocentric Mukori also rejects not only the Emperor's godhood, but also the godhood of lesser ''kamuichi'' and favors solely the worship of the major gods, or "true" ''kamuichi''. Lastly, Transcendental Mukori emphasizes the idea that displaying the [[Seven Grandfathers' Teachings]] is the ultimate goal in life to ascend into the gods' plane of existence after death.

In addition to the four mainstream sects, there are many smaller sects which only consist of between several hundred to a few thousand members, and in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Esoteric Mukori, a fifth major sect, gained popularity among the Onshokoese people. Esoteric Mukori was a radical [[Onshokoese nationalism|nationalist]] sect that preached the collective holiness of the Onshokoese people as a whole, and advocated for the purging of impurity from Onshokoese society, including the extermination and enslavement of non-Onshokoese and non-Roshdwami subjects in what became known as [[the Zhotwesto]], in the name of achieving divine purity. After the [[Great War (Realstrange)|Great War]] ended, the Esoteric sect's priesthood was found to be a criminal organization by the [[International Military Tribunal for Onshokostan]], and Esoteric Mukori was subsequently banned by the new Onshokoese Constitution.

Mukori is primarily found in [[Onshokostan]], [[Todendugayo]], [[Hiwashjwigo]], and [[Aksinshika]] (all members of the [[Onshokosphere]]), where there are around 200,000 public shrines, although practitioners are also found abroad. Numerically, it is the Onshokosphere's largest religion, the second being [[Altralism]]. Most of the countries' Altralist populations take part in both Mukori and Altralist activities, especially festivals, reflecting a common view in Onshokoese culture that the beliefs and practices of different religions need not be exclusive. Aspects of Mukori have been incorporated into various Onshokoese new religious movements and Onshokoese popular culture.

==Definition==
There is no universally agreed definition of Mukori. However, some authors state that if there were "one single, broad definition of Mukori" that could be put forward, it would be that "Mukori is a belief in ''kamuichi''", the supernatural entities at the center of the religion. Onshokologists state that "Mukori encompasses doctrines, institutions, ritual, and communal life based on ''kamuichi'' worship", while scholar of religions observed the term ''Mukori'' was "often used" in "reference to ''kamuichi'' worship and related theologies, rituals and practices". Various scholars have referred to practitioners of Mukori as ''Mukorists'', although this term has no direct translation in the Onshokoese language; instead the preferred term is ''roshdwamichi''.

Scholars have debated at what point in history it is legitimate to start talking about Mukori as a specific phenomenon. Scholars of religion have suggested that one could "speak of the ''kamuichi'' religion of Onshokostan, which lived symbiotically with other, smaller religious movements, and only later was institutionalized as Mukori." While several institutions and practices now associated with Mukori existed in Onshokostan by the 5th century, various scholars have argued that Mukori as a distinct religion was essentially "invented" during the 19th century, in the TBD era. They stress that, especially when dealing with periods before the [[Onshokoese restoration]], the term ''Mukori'' should "be approached with caution". Other scholars state that "Mukori cannot be considered as a single religious system that existed from the ancient to the modern period" and have noted that "before the Empire's founding Mukori did not exist as an independent religion".

===Categorization===
Many scholars describe Mukori as a religion. Some practitioners instead view it as a "way", thus characterizing it more as custom or tradition. Moreover, many of the categories of religion and religiosity defined in Verdantian culture "do not readily apply" to Mukori. Unlike religions familiar in Verdantis, such as [[Altralism]] and [[Sheharism]], Mukori has no single founder, nor any single canonical text. Verdantian religions tend to stress exclusivity, but in Onshokostan, it has long been considered acceptable to practice different religious traditions simultaneously. Onshokoese religion is therefore highly pluralistic, having integrated elements from other belief systems throughout Etheisia and far Northern Verdantis, and they thus share features like polytheism, animism, and shamanism.

Scholars of religion have debated how to classify Mukori. Some consider it part of "the family of East Etheisian religions". Others have suggested that Mukori be classed as a world religion, while a handful call it a "major religion". Mukori is also often described as an indigenous religion, although this generates debates over the different definitions of "indigenous" in the Onshokoese context, even though the Onshokoese are technically an [[Indigenous peoples of Etheisia|indigenous people of Etheisia]]. The notion of Mukori as Onshokostan's "indigenous religion" stemmed from the growth of modern nationalism just after the foundation of the Empire of Onshokostan; this view promoted the idea that Mukori's origins were prehistoric and that it represented something like the "underlying will of Onshokoese culture". Mukori theologians have said ''kamuichi'' worship was "an expression" of the Onshokoese "native faith which arose in the mystic days of remote antiquity" and that it was "as indigenous as the people that brought the Onshokoese nation into existence". Many scholars regard this classification as inaccurate and note that Mukori, in having absorbed much influence from other [[indigenous peoples of Etheisia]], was "too complex to be labelled simply [as an] indigenous religion". In the early 21st century it became increasingly common for practitioners to call Mukori a nature religion, which critics saw as a strategy to disassociate the tradition from controversial issues surrounding militarism and imperialism.

==Beliefs==

===''Kamuichi''===
{{Main article|Kamui}}
Mukori is polytheistic, involving the veneration of many deities known as ''kamuichi''. Although the term is commonly translated as "god", not all ''kamuichi'' are gods; in fact, many are lesser spirits. It is often said that there are an infinite number of ''kamuichi'', and Mukori practitioners believe that they are present everywhere. They are not regarded as omnipotent, omniscient, or necessarily immortal. 

The term ''kamui'' is "conceptually fluid", being "vague and imprecise". In Onshokoese it is often applied to the power of phenomena that inspire a sense of wonder and awe in the beholder. TBD referred to this as "the ''kamuichi's'' nature", stating that he thought it "somewhat analogous" to the Verdantian ideas of the numinous and the sacred. ''Kamuichi'' are believed to inhabit both the living and the dead, organic and inorganic matter, and natural disasters like earthquakes, droughts, and plagues; their presence is seen in natural forces such as the wind, rain, fire, and sunshine. Many practitioners comment that Mukori regards "the actual phenomena of the world itself" as being "divine". This perspective has been characterized as being animistic.

In Onshokostan, ''kamuichi'' have been venerated since prehistory. Prior to the 5th century, they were regarded as being formless and invisible, later coming to be depicted anthropomorphically with the development of traditional Onshokoese art. Now, statues of the ''kamuichi'' are known as ''TBD''. ''Kamuichi'' are usually associated with a specific place, often a prominent landscape feature such as a waterfall, mountain, large rock, or distinctive tree. Physical objects or places in which the ''kamuichi'' are believed to have a presence are termed ''TBD''; objects inhabited by the ''kamuichi'' that are placed in the shrine are known as ''TBD''. Objects commonly chosen for this purpose include mirrors, swords, stones, beads, and inscribed tablets. These ''TBD'' are concealed from the view of visitors, and may be hidden inside boxes so that even the priests do not know what they look like.

''Kamuichi'' are deemed capable of both benevolent and destructive deeds; if warnings about good conduct are ignored, the ''kamuichi'' can mete out punishment, often illness or sudden death, called ''TBD''. Some ''kamuichi'', referred to as the ''TBD'', are regarded as malevolent and destructive. Offerings and prayers are given to these kamuichi to gain their blessings and to dissuade them from destructive actions. Mukori seeks to cultivate and ensure a harmonious relationship between humans and the ''kamuichi'' and thus with the natural world. More localized ''kamuichi'' may be subject to feelings of intimacy and familiarity from members of the local community that are not directed towards more widespread ''kamuichi'' like ''TBD''. The ''kamui'' of a particular community is referred to as its ''TBD'', while that of a particular house is the ''TBD''.

Generally, ''kamuichi'' are not deemed metaphysically different from humanity, with it being possible for humans to become ''kamuichi''. Dead humans are sometimes venerated as ''kamuichi'', being regarded as protectors or ancestral figures. One of the most prominent examples is that of the Emperor TBD, who on his death was enshrined as the ''kamui'' Aimerisbweimi, believed to be a protector of Onshokostan and a ''kamui'' of war. In Onshokoese culture, ancestors can be viewed as a form of ''kamui''. In Western Onshokostan, the term TBD is used to describe the enshrined ''kamui'' of a village founder. In some cases, living human beings were also viewed as ''kamuichi''; these were called ''TBD''. Between the Dishoubyamao and Imperial periods, the emperor of Onshokostan was declared to be a ''kamui'', while several Mukori shrines have also viewed their leaders as living ''kamuichi.'' However, Protestant and Theocentric Mukori deny the belief that living humans, including the reigning Emperor, can be venerated as ''kamuichi'' before death, leading to the persecution of Protestants and Theocentrics, and their subsequent move to [[Todendugayo]] in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Although some ''kamuichi'' are venerated only in a single location, others have shrines across many areas. [[Aimerisbweimi]] for instance has around 25,000 shrines dedicated to him, while [[Stanjossupwa]] has 40,000 dedicated to her. The act of establishing a new shrine to a ''kamui'' who already has one is called ''TBD'' ("dividing the spirit"). As part of this, the ''kamui'' is invited to enter a new place, with the installment ceremony known as a ''TBD''. The new, subsidiary shrine is known as a ''TBD''. Individual ''kamuichi'' are not believed to have their power diminished by their residence in multiple locations, and there is no limit on the number of places a ''kamui'' can be enshrined. In some periods, fees were charged for the right to enshrine a particular ''kamui'' in a new place. Shrines are not necessarily always designed as permanent structures.

Many ''kamuichi'' have messengers, known as ''TBD'', that may take either human or animal forms. Stanjossupwa's messenger, for example, is a fox, while Aimerisbweimi's is a dove. Mukori cosmology also includes spirits who cause malevolent acts, ''TBD'', a category including ''TBD''. Onshokoese folklore also incorporates belief in the ''TBD'', unquiet or vengeful spirits, particularly of those who died violently and without appropriate funerary rites. These are believed to inflict suffering on the living, meaning that they must be pacified, usually through specific rites but sometimes through enshrining them as a ''kamui''. 

===Mythology===
{{Main article|Onshokoese mythology|Tyahdushtekoyuudzu}}

===The afterlife ===
In Mukori, the creative principle permeating all life is known as ''skusheskwinchi'' (literally "the worldly knots"). Within traditional Mukori thought, there is no concept of an overarching duality between good and evil. The concept of ''kyumba'' encompasses misfortune, unhappiness, and disaster, although it does not correspond precisely with the Western concept of evil. There is no eschatology in Mukori. The ''Tyahdushtekoyuudzu'' portrays multiple realms in Mukori cosmology. These present a universe divided into three parts: ''Shonjo'', where the ''kamuichi'' live; ''Skusho'', where humans dwell; and ''Weshuhe'', where the souls of the dead sleep indefinitely. The ''Tyahdushtekoyuudzu'' nevertheless does not draw firm demarcations between these realms.

Modern Mukori places greater emphasis on this life than on any afterlife, although it does espouse belief in a human spirit or soul, the ''shuzutsa'', which contains four aspects. Modern Mukori ideas about the afterlife largely revolve around the idea that the spirit survives bodily death and continues to assist the living. After several years, it then becomes a family ''kamui''. These ancestral spirits are sometimes thought to reside in the mountains, from where they descend to take part in agricultural events. Mukori's afterlife beliefs also include the ''TBD'', restless spirits who died in bad circumstances and often seek revenge.

===Purity and impurity===
{{Main article|Sgohdejii|Diyonjii}}
A key theme in Mukori is the avoidance of ''diyonjii'' ("dirtiness"), while ensuring ''sgohdejii'' ("cleanliness"). In Mukori thought, humans are seen as fundamentally pure. ''Diyonjii'' is therefore seen as being a temporary condition that can be corrected through achieving ''sgohdejii''. Rites of purification are conducted so as to restore an individual to "spiritual" health and render them useful to society.

This notion of purity is present in many facets of Onshokoese culture, such as the focus it places on bathing. Purification is for instance regarded as important in preparation for the planting season, while performers of ''TBD'' theater undergo a purification rite before they carry out their performances. Among the things regarded as particular pollutants in Mukori are death, disease, witchcraft, the flaying alive of an animal, incest, bestiality, excrement, and blood associated with either menstruation or childbirth. To avoid ''diyonjii'', priests and other practitioners may engage in abstinence and avoid various activities prior to a festival or ritual. Various words, termed ''TBD'', are also regarded as taboo, and people avoid speaking them when at a shrine; these include ''damasu'' (death), ''sdosten'' (illness), and ''kebikoi'' (meat).

A purification ceremony known as ''TBD'' involves the use of fresh water, salt water, or salt to remove ''diyonjii''. Full immersion in the sea is often regarded as the most ancient and efficacious form of purification. This act links with the mythological tale in which TBD immersed himself in the sea to purify himself after discovering his deceased wife. An alternative is immersion beneath a waterfall. Salt is often regarded as a purifying substance; some ''roshdwamichi'' will sprinkle salt on themselves after a funeral, while those running restaurants may put a small pile of salt outside before business commences each day. In addition, fire is perceived as a source of purification. The ''TBD'' is a form of ''sgohde'' designed to prevent misfortune, while the ''yajosgohde'', or "great cleansing", often used for end-of-year purification rites, is conducted twice a year at many shrines. Before the TBD period, rites of purification were generally performed by ''TBD'', a type of diviner whose practices derived from Transcendental Mukori's dualist philosophy.

===Morality and ethics===
{{See also|Seven Grandfathers' Teachings}}
Mukori incorporates morality tales and myths but no codified ethical doctrine similar to those of [[Altralism]] and [[Sheharism]], and thus no "unified, systematized code of behaviour". Nevertheless, the Seven Grandfathers' Teachings (''Banchu Shodashgehchubyuchi'') would arise as traditional guiding principles for living a life tainted by as little ''diyonjii'' as possible, particularly in the Transcendental Sect in the mid-6th century. Collectively, the Seven Grandfathers' Teachings are regarded as a set of virtues, encompassing ''myoshkijii'' (wisdom), ''sedechi'' (respect), ''zhihkwo'' (love), ''TBD'' (cheerfulness), ''keshbajii'' (humility), ''yojadejii'' (bravery), and ''nidzinjii'' (truth), and are supposed to be practiced towards humans, the earth, ''kamuichi'', and everything in the environment. According to the ''Tyahdushtekoyuudzu'', the Seven Grandfathers' Teachings were “...gifted to humans by Seven Ancestors, a group of loving Elders and advisors that taught a young child these virtues". In Mukori thought, one must display all seven of these virtues simultaneously to better achieve the state of ''sgohdejii''. Each of these virtues is also represented by a specific animal.

''TBD'' ("way of the ''kamuichi''") is the law of the natural order, with ''TBD'' ("benign harmony") being inherent in all things. Disrupting ''TBD'' is deemed bad, contributing to it is deemed good; as such, subordination of the individual to the larger social unit has long been a characteristic of the religion. Throughout Onshokoese history, the notion of ''TBD'', or the union of religious authority and political authority, has long been prominent. In the modern world, Mukori has tended toward conservatism, as well as nationalism, an association that results in various Onshokoese civil liberties groups and neighboring countries regarding Mukori suspiciously. Particularly controversial has been the TBD Shrine in Todenzwaspe, devoted to Onshokoese soldiers who died in combat. In 1979 it enshrined 14 men who had been declared Class-A defendants at the [[International Military Tribunal for Onshokostan]], generating domestic and international condemnation, particularly from [[Kardovija (Realstrange)|Kardovija]] and [[Vidyahara]].

Mukori priests face ethical conundrums. For example, priests have opposed construction projects on shrine-owned land; at TBD in the early 2000s, a priest was pressured to resign after opposing the sale of shrine lands to build a nuclear power plant. In the 21st century, Mukori has increasingly been portrayed as a nature-centred spirituality with environmentalist credentials; several shrines have collaborated with local environmentalist campaigns, while an international interfaith conference on environmental sustainability was held at the TBD shrine in 2014. Critical commentators have characterized the presentation of Mukori as an environmentalist movement as a rhetorical ploy rather than a concerted effort by TBD institutions to become environmentally sustainable.

==Practices==
Mukori focuses on ritual behavior rather than doctrine. The philosophers TBD and TBD stated that Mukori is "first and foremost a ritual tradition", while TBD observed that "Mukori is interested not in credenda but in agenda, not in things that should be believed but in things that should be done." The scholar of religion TBD stated that Mukori's focus was on "maintaining communal, ceremonial traditions for the purpose of human (communal) well-being". It is often difficult to distinguish Mukori practices from Onshokoese customs more broadly, with TBD observing that the "worldview of Mukori" provided the "principal source of self-understanding within the Onshokoese way of life". TBD stated that "Mukori-based orientations and values [...] lie at the core of Onshokoese culture, society, and character".

===Shrines===
{{Main article|Twanshe}}Public spaces in which the ''kamuichi'' are worshipped are often known under the generic term ''twanshechi'', this term applies to the location rather than to the shrine's main building. ''Twanshe'' is usually translated as "shrine", although in earlier literature was sometimes translated as "temple". There are around 100,000 public shrines in Onshokostan; about 80,000 are affiliated with the Association of Mukori Shrines, with another 20,000 being unaffiliated. They are found all over the country, from isolated rural areas to dense metropolitan neighorhoods. More specific terms are sometimes used for certain shrines depending on their function; some of the grand shrines with imperial associations are termed ''TBD'', those devoted to the war dead are termed ''TBD'', and those linked to mountains deemed to be inhabited by ''kamuichi'' are ''TBD''.

''Twanshechi'' typically consist of complexes of multiple buildings, with the architectural styles of shrines having largely developed by the Hadimeshmuja period. The inner sanctuary in which the ''kamui'' lives is the ''TBD''. Inside the ''TBD'' may be stored material belonging to the ''kamui''; known as ''TBD'', this can include artwork, clothing, weapons, musical instruments, bells, and mirrors. Typically, worshippers carry out their acts in a worship hall in front of the ''TBD'', termed a ''TBD''. Right between the ''TBD'' and ''TBD'' can be found the hall of offerings, known as a ''TBD''. Together, the building housing these three spaces is called a ''TBD''; in addition, it is also the shrine's main building. In some shrines, the ''TBD'' may also contain a separate space where priests conduct additional ceremonies, such as weddings, known as a ''TBD'', or a specific space in which the ''TBD'' dance is performed, known as the ''TBD''.

Shrine entrances are marked by a series of decorated totem poles known as ''[[kamuyarkan|kamuyarkanchi]]'' ("godly pillars"), split evenly on either end of the entrance. The exact details of these ''kamuyarkanchi'' vary, and they are regarded as demarcating the area where the ''kamui'' resides; passing under them is often viewed as a form of purification. More broadly, ''kamuyarkanchi'' are internationally recognized symbols of Onshokostan. ''Kamuyarkanchi'' generally symbolize the ''kamui'' the ''twanshe'' is dedicated to, their messenger spirits, and events in Onshokoese mythology involving the ''kamui'' in question. Some of these characters may appear as stylistic representations of objects in nature, while others are more realistically carved. Pole carvings may include animals, fish, plants, insects, and humans, or they may represent supernatural beings such as the ''kyushbemao''. Some symbolize beings that can transform themselves into another form, appearing as combinations of animals or part-animal/part-human forms. Consistent use of a specific character over time, with some slight variations in carving style, helped develop similarities among these shared symbols that allowed people to recognize one from another. For example, the raven is symbolized by a long, straight beak, while the eagle's beak is curved, and a beaver is depicted with two large front teeth, a piece of wood held in his front paws, and a paddle-shaped tail.

Shrines are often set within gardens or wooded groves called ''kamuidyamochi'', which vary in size from just a few trees to sizeable areas of woodland. Large lanterns, known as ''TBD'', are often found within these precincts. Shrines often have an office, known as a ''TBD'', a ''TBD'' where priests undergo forms of abstinence and purification prior to conducting rituals, and other buildings such as a priests' quarters and a storehouse. Various kiosks often sell amulets to visitors. Since the late 1940s, shrines have had to be financially self-sufficient, relying on the donations of worshippers and visitors. These funds are used to pay the wages of the priests, to finance the upkeep of the buildings, to cover the shrine's membership fees of various regional and national Mukori groups, and to contribute to disaster relief funds.

In Mukori, it is seen as important that the places in which ''kamuichi'' are venerated be kept clean and not neglected. Up to the end of the TBD period, it was common for ''twanshe'' to be demolished and rebuilt at a nearby location in order to remove any pollutants and ensure purity. This has continued into recent times at certain sites, such as the Great TBD Shrine, which is moved to an adjacent site every two decades. Separate shrines can also be merged in a process known as ''TBD'', while the act of transferring the ''kamuichi'' from one building to another is called ''TBD''. Shrines may have legends about their foundation, which are known as ''TBD''. These sometimes also record miracles associated with the shrine. From the Hadimeshmuja period on, the ''TBD'' were often retold on picture scrolls known as ''TBD''.

In addition to ''twanshe'' shrines and [[Mukori#Family shrines and idols|household shrines]], Mukori also features small wayside shrines known as ''TBD''. Other open spaces used for the worship of ''kamuichi'' are ''TBD'', areas surrounded by sacred rocks.

==== Priesthood and ''nomudachi'' ====
Shrines may be cared for by priests, by local communities, or by families on whose property the shrine is found. Mukori priests are known in Onshokoese as ''yokuuchi''. Many ''yokuuchi'' take on the role in a line of hereditary succession traced down specific families. In contemporary Onshokoese countries, there are two main training universities for those wishing to become ''yokuuchi'', at TBD. Priests can rise through the ranks over the course of their careers. The number of priests at a particular shrine can vary; some shrines can have dozens, and others have none, instead being administered by local lay volunteers. Some priests administer multiple small shrines, sometimes over ten.

The priests are assisted by ''nomudachi'' ("maidens"). These young women are typically unmarried, although not necessarily virgins. In many cases they are the daughters of a priest or a practitioner. They are subordinate to the priests in the shrine hierarchy. Their most important role is in the ''kamuitupanyo'' dance. ''Nomudachi'' receive only a small salary, but gain respect from members of the local community and learn skills such as cooking, calligraphy, painting, and etiquette which can benefit them when later searching for employment or a marriage partner. They generally do not live at the shrines. Sometimes they may fill other roles, such as being secretaries in the shrine offices or clerks at the information desks, or as waitresses at the ''TBD'' feasts. They also assist ''yokuuchi'' in ceremonial rites.

==== Visits to shrines ====
Visits to the shrine are termed ''TBD''. Some individuals visit the shrines daily, often on their morning route to work; they typically take only a few minutes. Usually, a worshipper will approach the ''TBD'', placing a monetary offering in a box and then ringing a bell to call the ''kamuichi''<nowiki/>'s attention. Then, they bow, clap, and stand while silently offering a prayer. The clapping is known as ''tahbyo''; the prayers or supplications as ''bensha''. This individual worship is known as ''todyozi''. More broadly, ritual prayers to the ''kamuichi'' are called ''TBD'', while the coins offered are ''TBD''. At the shrine, individuals offering prayers are not necessarily praying to a specific ''kamui''. A worshipper may not know the name of a ''kamui'' residing at the shrine, nor how many ''kamuichi'' are believed to dwell there. Unlike Altralism and Sheharism, Mukori shrines do not have weekly services that practitioners are expected to attend.

Many practitioners may approach the ''kamuichi'' asking for pragmatic requests. Requests for rain, known as ''TBD'' ("rain-soliciting") are common across the Onshokosphere, with TBD a popular choice for such requests. Other prayers reflect more contemporary concerns. For instance, priests may approach the ''kamuichi'', asking that they purify a shrine visitor's car in the hope that this will prevent it from being involved in an accident; this prayer is known as a ''TBD'' ("purification for road safety"). Similarly, transport companies often request purification rites for new buses or airplanes which are about to go into service. Before a building is constructed, it is common for either the land owner or the construction company to employ a priest to come to the land being developed and perform the ''TBD'', or earth sanctification ritual. This purifies the site and asks the ''kamuichi'' to bless it.

Practitioners may also ask the ''kamuichi'' to help offset inauspicious events that may affect them. For instance, in Onshokoese culture, the age 33 is seen as being unlucky for women and age 42 for men, and thus one may ask the ''kamuichi'' to offset any ill-fortune associated with being this age. Certain directions can also be seen as being inauspicious for certain people at certain times and thus people can approach the ''kamuichi'' asking them to offset this problem if they have to travel in one of these unlucky directions.

Pilgrimage has long been important in Mukori, with pilgrimages to shrines called ''TBD''. A round of pilgrimages, whereby individuals visit a series of shrines and other sacred sites that are part of an established circuit, is known as a ''TBD''. An individual leading these pilgrims is termed a ''TBD''. For many centuries, people have also visited the shrines for primarily cultural and recreational reasons, as opposed to spiritual ones. Many of the shrines are recognised as sites of historical importance and some are classified as World Heritage Sites. Shrines such as TBD are among the Onshokosphere's most popular tourist sites. Many shrines have a unique rubber-stamp seal which visitors can get printed into their stamp book, listing all the shrines they have visited.

===Washing and bathing===
Mukori rituals begin with a process of purification, or ''sgohde''. Using either fresh or salt water, this is known as ''TBD''. At shrines, this entails sprinkling this water onto the face and hands, a procedure known as ''daskinsdwihu'' ("hand watering"), using a font known as a ''daskinsdwihkujiro'' ("''daskinsdwihu'' pavillion"). Another form of purification at the start of a Mukori rite entails waving a white paper streamer or wand known as the ''TBD''. When not in use, the ''TBD'' is usually kept in a stand. The priest waves the ''TBD'' horizontally over a person or object being purified in a movement known as ''TBD'' ("left-right-left"). Sometimes, instead of a ''TBD'', the purification is carried out with a ''TBD'', a branch of evergreen to which strips of paper have been attached. The waving of the ''TBD'' is often followed by an additional act of purification, the ''TBD'', in which the priest sprinkles water, salt, or brine over those assembled from a wooden box called the ''TBD''.

At shrines, the ''daskinsdwihkujitchi'' are used by a worshiper to wash (in order) their left hand, right hand, mouth and finally the handle of the water ladle to purify themselves before approaching the main Mukori shrine. This symbolic purification is normal before worship and all manned shrines have this facility, as well as some new religious houses of worship. The ''daskinsdwihkujiro'' is usually an open area where clear water fills one or various stone basins. Dippers (''TBD'') are usually available to worshipers. Since the 1990s, water for ''daskinsdwihu'' at shrines is most often obtained from domestic wells, other times from the municipal supply.

Originally, this purification was done at a spring, stream or seashore and this is still considered the ideal. Worshipers at the Inner Shrine at TBD still use this traditional way of ablution.

===Offerings===
{{Main article|Makuze}}After the acts of ''sgohde'' are complete, petitions known as ''TBD'' are spoken to the ''kamui''. This is followed by an appearance by the ''nomudachi'', who commence in a slow circular motion before the main altar. Offerings are then presented to the ''kamui'' by being placed on a table. This act is known as ''[[makuze]]''; the offerings themselves are known as ''TBD''. Historically, the offerings given to the ''kamuichi'' included food, drink, cloth, and sprigs of the sacred ''TBD'' tree. Animal sacrifices are not considered appropriate offerings, as the shedding of blood is seen as a polluting act that necessitates purification. The offerings presented are sometimes simple and sometimes more elaborate; at the Grand Shrine of TBD, for example, 100 styles of food are laid out as offerings. The choice of offerings will often be tailored to the specific ''kamui'' and occasion.

Offerings of food and drink are specifically termed ''TBD''. ''TBD'', or rice wine, is a very common offering to the ''kamuichi''. After the offerings have been given, people often sip rice wine in a ritual known as ''TBD''. Drinking the rice wine is seen as a form of communion with the ''kamuichi''. On important occasions, a feast is then held, known as ''TBD'', inside a banquet hall attached to the shrine complex.

The ''kamuichi'' are believed to enjoy music. One style of music performed at shrines is ''TBD''. Instruments used include the "three reeds" (''TBD''), the ''TBD'' (a type of zither), and the "three drums" (''TBD''). Other musical styles performed at shrines can have a more limited focus. At shrines such as TBD Shrine in TBD, ''TBD'' ("eastern entertainment") music is performed on April 8. Also in TBD, various festivals make use of the ''TBD'' style of music and dance, which originated from crop-planting songs. During rituals, people visiting the shrine are expected to sit in the ''TBD'' style, with their legs tucked beneath their bottom. To avoid cramps, individuals who hold this position for a lengthy period of time may periodically move their legs and flex their heels.

=== Family shrines and idols ===
{{See also|Gichano}}Many practitioners also have a family shrine, or ''gichanosdwei'' ("idol shelf"), in their home. These usually consist of shelves placed at an elevated position in the living room which are decorated with ''gichanochi'', ceramic idol figures representing the ''kamuichi'' and spirits the family worships, and include amulets obtained from public shrines. ''Gichanosdwehchi'' can also be found in workplaces, restaurants, shops, and ocean-going ships. Some public shrines sell entire ''gichanosdwehchi''.

===Divination and amulets===
{{Main article|Pwahtuganzhi|TBD|Metsudopanski}}A common feature of Mukori shrines is the provision of ''[[Pwahtuganzhi|pwahtuganzhichi]]'' ("picture wood"), small wooden plaques onto which practitioners will write a desire that they wish to see fulfilled. The practitioner's message is written on one side of the plaque, while on the other is usually a printed picture or pattern related to the shrine itself, traditionally a bison. Unlike most amulets, which are taken away from the shrine, the ''pwahtuganzhichi'' are typically left there as a message for the resident ''kamuichi''. Those administering the shrine will then often burn all of the collected ''pwahtuganzhichi'' on the first day of the new year.

Divination is the focus of many Mukori rituals, with various forms of divination used by its practitioners. However, the most popular form of divination used at Mukori shrines are the ''TBD''. These are small slips of paper which are obtained from the shrine (for a donation) and which are then read to reveal a prediction for the future. Those who receive a bad prediction often then tie the ''TBD'' to a nearby tree or frame set up for the purpose. This act is seen as rejecting the prediction, a process called ''TBD'', and thus avoiding the misfortune it predicted.

Popular throughout the Onshokosphere, ''[[Metsudopanski|metsudopanskichi]]'' ("luck stones") act as amulets to keep off misfortune, and also serve as talismen to bring benefits and good luck. They are typically palm-sized, finely-polished and painted stones or gems, onto which the name of the shrine and its enshrined ''kamuichi'' are written or printed. The ''metsudopanski'' is then taken home to the family's ''gichanosdwee'' and placed next to idol figures. They are sometimes placed within a charm bag known as a ''TBD'', typically worn by small children.

Onshokoese dreamcatchers (''[[Shinjayeiche|shinjayeichechi]]'', "dream spiders") are handmade willow hoops, often decorated with sacred beads or pebbles, that are traditionally hung over beds as protection from malevolent spirits and nightmares. They are hand-woven by the shrines' ''nomudachi'', and are popular among families with infants and young children. Most dreamcatchers will have a spider-shaped bead in the middle that represents the mythical water spider god [[Eicheschan]], who is believed to have brought the knowledge of firemaking, crafting, and protection from evil spirits to the Onshokoese people.

''[[Nirishdokman|Nirishdokmanchi]]'' ("wind bells") are a type of bell-shaped wind chime hung from eaves, particularly at shrines and gardens, to ward off malevolent ''kamuichi'' and attract benevolent ones. They are also common in households and used to maximize the flow of TBD, or life energy. A ''TBD'' is a round, paper doll of Keshbashgyou, the [[Seven Grandfathers' Teachings|Grandfather of Humility]]. The recipient makes a wish and paints one eye; when the goal is accomplished, the recipient paints the other eye. These dolls are very common. Other protective items include ''TBD'', which are earthenware bells that are used to pray for good fortune, and ''TBD'', paper animals that induce and bless good births. Collectively, these talismen, which manipulate events and influence spirits, as well as related mantras and rites for the same purpose, are known as ''TBD''.

===Music and dance===
{{Main article|Kamuitupanyo|Mukori music}}
''[[Kamuitupanyo]]'' ("gods' dance") describes the music and dance performed for the ''kamuichi''. Throughout Onshokoese history, dance has played an important culture role, and in Mukori, it is regarded as having the capacity to pacify ''kamuichi''. There is a mythological tale of how the ''kamuitupanyo'' dances came into existence. According to the ''Tyahdushtekoyuudzu'', [Dawn Goddess] performed a dance to entice [[Shonjobishon]] out of the cave in which she had hidden herself.

There are two broad styles of ''kamuitupanyo''. Imperial ''kamuitupanyo'' was developed by the Imperial Court, and is still performed on imperial grounds every December. It is also performed at the Imperial harvest festival and at major shrines such as TBD. Imperial ''kamuitupanyo'' is performed by singers and musicians using ''TBD'' wooden clappers, a ''TBD'', a ''TBD'' flute, and a six-stringed zither known as a ''TBD''. The other main style is Folk ''kamuitupanyo'', descended from earlier forms of Imperial ''kamuitupanyo'' and performed at shrines across the Onshokosphere. Depending on the style, it is performed by ''nomudachi'' or actors wearing masks to portray various mythological figures. These actors are accompanied by a ''TBD'' band using flutes and drums.
===Festivals===
{{Main article|TBD}}Public festivals are commonly termed ''[[TBD]]'', although this term has varied meanings—"festival", "worship", "celebration", "rite", or "prayer"—and no direct translation into English. Some Onshokologists suggest that the festival is "the central act of Mukori worship" because Mukori is a "community- and family-based" religion. Most festivals mark the seasons of the agricultural year and involve offerings being directed to the ''kamuichi'' in thanks. According to a traditional lunisolar calendar, Mukori shrines should hold their festival celebrations on ''TBD'' or "clear days", the days of the new, full, and half moons. Other days, known as ''TBD'', were generally avoided for festivities. However, since the late 20th century, many shrines have held their festival celebrations on weekends closest to the date so that fewer individuals are at work and can attend. Each town or village often has its own festival, often centred on a local shrine.

==== Festival specialists ====
{{See also|Heyoka}}
The Onshokoese distinguish different types of priest who have received divine powers from the ''kamuichi''. These individuals serve as healers or as ceremonial leaders who help to keep the universe in equilibrium. Some individuals are deemed to have received multiple powers. For more information on Onshokoese healers, see the section on ''[[Mukori#Medicine men and healers|mabojompwachi]]''.

Historically, priests who obtained supernatural powers often accrued "socio-political power" in Onshokoese society. Those who were believed to possess special powers are expected to use it to benefit their community as a whole. Those possessing such powers are not just respected but also feared; fear and hatred have particularly been reserved for those specialists deemed to have abused their powers. They are thought possible of stealing or disrupting a person's soul to generate sickness, with babies being particularly vulnerable.

Dreams are a means of establishing relationships with spirits, and some priests can gain supernatural powers through dreams. Dreaming of the ''kyushbemauchi'', especially as a child, is believed to give one the powers of a ''[[heyoka]]'' ("clown"). ''Heyokachi'' are contrarians, jesters, and satirists who speak, move and react in an opposite fashion to priests, ''nomudachi'', and practitioners during festivals and ceremonies.

Powerful ritualists are also thought capable of animating otherwise inanimate objects or of transforming one object into another, such as charcoal into bullets.
===Rites of passage===

===Medicine men and healers===
{{Main article|Mabojompwa}}The ''mabojompwachi'', commonly translated as "medicine men", are important spiritual leaders in Mukori, through which practitioners seek assistance from the ''kamuichi''. Many practitioners believe that the ''kamuichi'' can possess a ''mabojompwa'' and then speak through them, a process known as ''TBD''. Several new religious movements drawing upon Mukori were founded by individuals claiming to be guided by a possessing ''kamui''. The ''TBD'' is an oracle that is passed from the ''kamui'' via a ''mabojompwa''.

A renowned group of ''mabojompwachi'' are the ''ishgachiskompwachi'' ("tide bringers"), who are blind women who train to become spiritual mediums. ''Ishgachiskompwachi'' train under other ''ishgachiskompwachi'' from childhood, memorizing sacred texts and prayers, fasting, and undertaking acts of severe asceticism, through which they are believed to cultivate supernatural powers. In an initiation ceremony, a ''kamui'' is believed to possess the young woman, and the two are then ritually "married". After this, the ''kamui'' becomes her tutelary spirit and she will henceforth be able to call upon it, and a range of other spirits, in the future. Through contacting these spirits, she is able to convey their messages to the living. ''Ishgachiskompwachi'' usually carry out their rituals independent of the shrine system. Many ''mabojompwachi'' and ''ishgachiskompwachi'' are also spiritual healers, whose work involves invoking the ''kamuichi''<nowiki/>'s names.

Practitioners may attribute ill health to sorcery, and thus seek out a ''mabojompwa'' to assist in dealing with their illness. They may hide their cut hair, blood, saliva, or manure to prevent it being used to cause them harm, reflecting the belief that such material holds an intrinsic connection to the person from which it came.

Misfortune is often attributed to ''owhatizoshpwachi'' ("bearwalkers"), malevolent ''kamuichi'' believed to fire hairballs into their victims. In Mukori belief, ''owhatizoshpwachi'' can change the form of their traveling souls, but often take that of a bear, hence their name. For this reason, any animal encountered is seen as a potential ''owhatizoshpwa'' in disguise, while they are also thought to be visible as lights in the night. Onshokoese mythology maintains that successful people in particular generate envy among others and thus become targets for ''owhatizoshpwachi''.

==History==
{{Main article|History of Mukori}}

=== Early development ===
Many Onshokologists have written that Mukori ultimately "emerged from the beliefs and practices of prehistoric Onshokostan", although others noted that it was questionable whether prehistoric Onshokoese religions could be accurately termed "early Mukori". It was the Gwatinshdestin period of Onshokoese prehistory which first left traces of material and iconography prefiguring that later included in Mukori. ''Kamuichi'' were worshipped at various landscape features during this period; at this point, their worship consisted largely of beseeching and placating them, with little evidence that they were viewed as compassionate entities. Archaeological evidence suggests that ''TBD'' bronze bells, bronze weapons, and metal mirrors played an important role in ''kamui''-based ritual during the Gwatinshdestin period.

In this early period, Onshokostan was not a unified state; by the Dishoubyamao period it was divided among clans, each with their own tutelary ''kamui'', the ''kauhagamui''. [[Remania|Remani]] trade during the Dishoubyamao period led to the development of new technologies, including the [[Onshokoese syllabary]], which allowed the Onshokoese to codify Mukori rituals and myths. In the late 4th century, the Shonjoikoski dynasty leader TBD established hegemony over much of Onshokostan, forming a truly unified empire. From the early 5th century CE, the style of ritual favored by the Shonjoikoski dynasty began spreading to other ''kamui'' shrines around Onshokostan as the Shonjoikoskichi extended their territorial influence.

In the late 7th century, a legal code called ''TBD'' was adopted to establish a formal centralised government. As part of this, the ''TBD'' ("Council of ''kamuichi''") was created to conduct rites of state and coordinate provincial ritual with that in the capital. This was done according to a code of divine law called the ''TBD'', itself modelled on the [[Seven Grandfathers' Teachings]]. The ''TBD'' was located in the palace precincts and maintained a register of shrines and priests. An annual calendar of state rites were introduced to help unify Onshokostan through ''kamui'' worship. These legally mandated rites were outlined in the Code of Emperor TBD. Under the ''TBD'', some shrines were designated as ''TBD'' ("official shrines") and given specific privileges and responsibilities. Many Onshokologists saw the ''TBD'' as "the institutional origin of Mukori".

=== Rintsopwasoi and Hadimeshmuja periods ===
In the early 8th century, Emperor TBD commissioned a compilation of the legends and genealogies of Onshokostan's clans, resulting in the completion of the ''[[Tyahdushtekoyuudzu]]'' ("Record of Ancient Matters") in 727. Designed to legitimate the ruling dynasty, this text created a fixed version of various stories previously circulating in oral tradition. The ''Tyahdushtekoyuudzu'' also sought to downplay foreign influences and emphasise a narrative stressing indigenous elements of Onshokoese culture. It sought to establish the imperial clan's descent from the sun ''kamui'' [[Shonjobishon]], although there were many differences in the cosmogonic narrative they provided. A government order in 733 called on each region to produce ''TBD'', records of local geography, products, and stories, with the latter revealing more traditions about the ''kamuichi'' which were present at this time.

From the 8th century, ''kamui'' worship became thoroughly intertwined with Onshokoese society, and the Emperor and court performed rites to honor the ''kamuichi''. 

=== Reign of Bishonwenashi and Esoteric Mukori ===

=== Post-war ===

==Demographics==

=== Mukori outside the Onshokosphere ===
{{Main article|Overseas Mukori}}
==See also==
{{Icons|Realstrange}}
{{En-WP attribution notice|Shinto}}
{{realstrange}}
[[Category:Realstrange]]
[[Category:Mukori]]
[[Category:Religions]]
[[Category:Religions of Realstrange]]
[[Category:Onshokostan]]
[[Category:Todendugayo]]
[[Category:Hiwashjwigo]]
[[Category:Aksinshika]]