Shikigami
Conjured kami from Onmyōdō, used for curses and magic.
Shikigami (式神), also known as Shiki-no-kami (式の神), are beings from Japanese folklore. The Shinto scholar Inoue Nobutaka suggests they are a kind of kami, often imagined as a small ghost. Their origins lie in Onmyōdō, where they represent the power of an onmyōji—a practitioner who can command these magical entities. From the Heian period onward, starting around the 1000s, shikigami have been linked to curses, and in Japanese literature and Emakimono scrolls, they frequently appear as birds or children.
These beings are created through an elaborate ritual and come to life. Their strength depends on the spiritual energy of their summoner: a skilled and experienced master can make their shikigami possess animals or even people, controlling them. But a careless summoner risks losing control, as the shikigami may develop its own will and consciousness, eventually turning on and killing its creator. Typically, shikigami are summoned for dangerous tasks like spying, stealing, or tracking enemies. They are usually invisible, but can be made visible by binding them into small, folded paper cutouts. Some shikigami also appear as animals.
In the Izanagi-ryū folk religion, the most elite onmyōji could summon an especially powerful type called a shikiōji (式王子), used to ward off disasters or illness-causing demons. Ordinary mystics avoided this summoning, as its oni-like nature made it easy to lose control.
In popular culture, the manga and anime *Jujutsu Kaisen* features shikigami as key tools for sorcerers like Megumi Fushiguro, who conjure them using cursed energy, talismans, and summoning magic. The *Touhou Project* series includes two shikigami characters: Ran Yakumo, a kitsune serving the yōkai Yukari Yakumo, and Chen, Ran’s nekomata shikigami.
- field
- Japanese folklore, Onmyōdō
- nationality
- Japanese
- known_for
- Conjured beings used for spying, stealing, and enemy tracking; symbol of onmyōji power
Lore & Background
Shikigami are conjured beings made alive through a complex ceremony. Their power is connected to the spiritual force of their master: if the invoker is well introduced and experienced, their shiki can possess animals and people and manipulate them; if the invoker is careless, the shikigami may gain its own will and consciousness and even kill its master in revenge. Usually, shikigami are conjured to carry out risky orders such as spying, stealing, and enemy tracking. They are said to be invisible most of the time but can be made visible by binding them into small, folded, and artfully cut paper effigies, or they may appear as animals.
Reader's Guide
In the Izanagi-ryū folk religion, the most elite onmyōji could conjure an exceptionally powerful type of shikigami called a shikiōji to ward off disasters or demons that cause sickness. Regular mystics could not attempt to summon it without risking losing control due to its oni-like nature. In popular culture, shikigami appear in the manga and anime series Jujutsu Kaisen, where they are conjured through cursed energy, and in the Touhou Project series, featuring two shikigami characters: Ran Yakumo, a kitsune servant, and Chen, Ran's nekomata shikigami. The concept of shikigami has influenced modern media, highlighting its enduring legacy as a symbol of magical power and control in Japanese folklore.
Did You Know?
- Shikigami are thought to be a type of kami represented by a small ghost, according to Shinto scholar Inoue Nobutaka.
- The belief in shikigami originates from Onmyōdō and has been associated with curses since the 1000s of the Heian period.
- Shikigami were often depicted as a bird or a child in Japanese literature and Emakimono.
- In the Izanagi-ryū folk religion, elite onmyōji could summon a powerful shikigami called a shikiōji to ward off disasters or demons.
More in Japanese ghosts 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record