English is below.

麻の歴史と精神性 麻は、日本の伝統文化や神事において神聖視され、古代から人々の精神性に深く関わってきました。特に、麻は清浄な植物とされ、悪を祓う力があると信じられていました。

では、なぜ、いろいろな種類の麻がある中でヘンプだけが精神性と深く結びついていたのでしょうか？

今回は、そのなぜを深く掘り下げていきます。

(English script)

1. Introduction

Hello, and welcome to my Podccast.
Today, I’d like to share with you the story of hemp—a plant that has been deeply connected to Japanese spiritual culture since ancient times.

In Japan, hemp has never been just a fiber or a crop.
It has been revered as a sacred plant, appearing in myths, rituals, and even in ceremonies of the Imperial household.
For centuries, hemp was believed to have the power to purify, to ward off evil, and to restore clarity.

2. Myths and Ancient Texts

In Japan’s oldest chronicles, the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters) and the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan), hemp is described as an essential part of sacred rituals performed by the gods.
It was believed that through hemp, impurities could be removed, and balance could be restored.

Some traditions say that when the god Izanagi returned from the land of the dead and performed a ritual purification, hemp symbolized renewal and cleansing.
We also find references in the Fudoki (ancient regional records) and even in the Manyoshu, the oldest anthology of Japanese poetry, where hemp is praised as a sacred and pure plant.

3. Why Hemp Was Seen as “Pure”

Why was hemp considered such a “pure” plant?

One reason lies in its vitality.
Hemp grows quickly, strongly, and straight—ancient people saw this as a symbol of life’s pure and untamed force.

Another reason is its versatility.
Its fibers became clothing, ropes, and ritual tools such as gohei or sacred paper wands used in Shinto shrines.
Its seeds provided food and nourishment.
Because hemp was so essential in every aspect of daily life, it came to embody blessing and purity.

Even today, Shinto priests use hemp fibers in purification rituals.
When they wave a wand wrapped with hemp, it is not only a symbolic act of banishing impurity, but also a way of releasing the hidden fears and anxieties within the human heart.

4. Connection to the Imperial Tradition

Hemp was also deeply connected to the Imperial family of Japan.
In the enthronement ceremony known as the Daijosai—the first great ritual after a new emperor ascends the throne—hemp cloth called aratatae is offered to the gods.

This hemp cloth represents the most sacred and pure offering, symbolizing the emperor’s prayer for peace and prosperity in a new era.
In this way, hemp served not only as a material, but as a spiritual support at the very heart of Japan’s national identity.

5. Conclusion

So we see, hemp was more than a useful plant.
It was a mirror of Japanese spirituality: a force that could ward off evil, restore purity, and sustain the spirit.

From daily life to the highest rituals of the nation, hemp has carried a quiet yet powerful role in shaping the way people connected with nature, with each other, and with the divine.

Thank you for joining me.