Japanese · No. 049

Kodama, Tree Spirit

Real myth

Kodama, Tree Spirit
If you hear an echo in the forest, it was him answering.
Rarity
Common
Category
Monster
ATK
600
DEF
900
Level
3
Type
Spirit
Element
Earth
Constellations
Wisp · Fox

The myth

Kodama is the spirit of trees. The tenth-century Engishiki already uses this name for the kami of trees, identified with Kukunochi, a deity born of Izanagi and Izanami according to the Kojiki. In folklore, very old trees harbor kodama, and cutting them can bring misfortune; so many are girded with sacred shimenawa ropes. The word kodama also means echo: the voice returning from mountains and forests was believed to be these spirits answering. Toriyama Sekien portrayed them as old people beside a tree.

Why it has this power

A Common level-3 Earth Spirit with 600 ATK and 900 DEF: a being that does not fight, only answers, so its attack is the lowest among spirits. Earth is the roots; Wisp and Fox, the forest's mystery. It is one of the three materials of the Rite of Mount Mikami, which wakes the giant centipede.

Did you know

Japanese shrines often have a sacred tree, the shinboku, hundreds of years old, marked with a shimenawa rope and paper streamers.

Connections

  • In Aiko, Dojo Apprentice's deck
  • In Hanae, Wandering Miko's deck
  • In Renji, Ronin of the Snowy Roads's deck
  • In Kaguya, Guardian of the Torii's deck

Where to get it

  • Campaign drop: Hanae, Wandering Miko (Archipelago of the Kami) — grade D: 13%
  • Daily Offering: 0% per pack (Common 64% per card)
  • Welcome Pack: 0.97% per pack (Common 70% per card)
  • Traveler's Pack: 0.88% per pack · 5.2% in the themed pack (Common 64% per card)
  • Bronze Reliquary: 0.86% per pack · 5.1% in the themed pack (Common 62% per card)
  • Silver Reliquary: 0.67% per pack · 4% in the themed pack (Common 49% per card)
  • Golden Reliquary: 0.46% per pack · 2.7% in the themed pack (Common 33% per card)
  • Daily Showcase: Shows up on about 0.69% of days · 150 gold
  • Craft with card dust: 40 dust
  • Crossing of Myths: Can be offered as a reward during a crossing (the card stays in the crossing deck).

Sources

  1. Kukunochi — Encyclopedia of Shinto — Kokugakuin University
  2. Shimenawa — Encyclopedia of Shinto — Kokugakuin University
  3. The Database of Paintings of Mysterious Phenomena and Yōkai — International Research Center for Japanese Studies (Nichibunken)