Yamato Spirit

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yamato Damashi (大和魂, yamato damashī^?) is a concept meaning 'Japanese Spirit' or the 'Soul of Old Japan'. 大和 (Yamato) refers to the Yamato, or the ancient Japanese and culture that existed before contact with China, and Damashī is the rendaku form of 魂 (tamashī, "soul" or "spirit"). This is often explained, in modern terms, as related to bushido (although bushido is a post-Chinese influence development).

Yamato-damashi (or Yamato-gokoro) translates literally to “Soul of Yamato” (or Heart of Yamato) and represents a type of moral character, fundamental in the early culture of Japan. The term also refes to the central site of early emperors, the old province of Yamato. The founder of the Yamato line, was the legendary first emperor of Japan, Jimmu Tenno, who is also referred to in historic poems and legends as Kamuyamato Iwarebiko, his given name was Wakamikenu no Mikoto, and it is he deemed responsible for founding of the Yamato dynasty, described in Kojiki (a compilation of legends about ancient Japan).

The connotation of the term Yamato-Damashi may also carry the meaning "to the death." It was popularized as a battle cry of the japanese during World War 2, but its origin is from ancient samurai culture.

[edit] Trivia

• There is a vodcast of the same name that takes place in Japan and features two foreigners asking Japanese people silly questions. [1]