Kotodama: The Spiritual Power of Words in Japanese Culture

In Japanese, the word “kotodama” is written with the following two kanji characters: 言霊. The first one, koto, means “speech” or “word,” and the second, tama, means “spirit” or “soul.” Kotodama can be roughly translated as “word spirit” and refers to the belief that words contain spiritual power.

Basically, positive words hold positive power, while negative words hold negative power. These powers can influence one person’s environment, occurring events, and mind. Therefore, we should be careful of the words we use because their power will come back at us. Furthermore, this mystical power does not only lie in words themselves but also in the way and intonation they are said. Kind words said with a harmful intent will bear negative energy. It is also believed that calling someone’s name out loud can have an impact on this person.

What Are the Origins of Kotodama?

Historically, it is thought that the kotodama belief dates back to the Nara period (710–794). It appears in the collection of poems Manyoshu, in which the expression, “the land where kotodama brings bliss,” is used to describe Japan.

Its roots are found in Shinto, the Japanese animistic religion. In Shinto, it is believed that not only people but also animals and all objects have a soul. In…