Shinto Kuji: Spells, Protective Rites and Divination

By Eric Shahan

Kuji: Shinto Spells

This collection brings together four historical documents exploring the use of the Kuji (九字), the Nine Seals, in Japanese Shinto ritual and magical practices. Dating from the Edo period through the early Showa era, these texts reveal how the Kuji were incorporated into methods of spiritual protection, spell-making, purification and divination.

Alongside instructions for performing the Kuji and protecting the body through its use, the collection includes Majjinai no Ho (禁厭之法), methods of creating spells and incantations; Hikime Narikabura no Ho (蟇目鳴鏑之法) the ritual use of whistling arrows for purification and the expulsion of evil; and Meido Shinji no Ho (鳴動神事之法) an ancient divinatory ceremony involving the sounding of a ritual cauldron.

Together, these documents offer a fascinating glimpse into the intersection of Shinto, esoteric ritual, protective magic and traditional Japanese religious practices.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1950959945
• ISBN13: 9781950959945
• Release Date: November 2026
• Publisher: Eric Michael Shahan
• Length: 206 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"