Shinigami: The Grim Reaper of Japanese Folklore

The Shinigami (translated as death god or death spirit) are supernatural figures found in Japanese folklore. The Shinigami are spirits related to death, and it may be said that the western counterpart of the Shinigami is the Grim Reaper, though, as we shall see, there are some distinct differences between the two. Additionally, the Shinigami did not exist in traditional Japanese folklore, and only came into being later on when the country came into contact with western cultures. Nevertheless, these spirits have gained a considerable amount of popularity over the centuries, as may be attested in their presence in Japanese pop culture today.

Grim Reaper

The Shinigami are said to have entered Japanese folklore around the 18^th or 19^th century. During this period of time, ideas from the West, in particular Christian ideas, interacted with the traditional Shinto, Buddhist and Taoist beliefs. One of the results of this interaction was the creation of the Shinigami. Whilst the Shinigami are similar to the Grim Reaper, they are not entirely alike, and a few important differences between the two may be seen.

Illustration of the Grim Reaper. (Image source)