Happy Miko Day! Let's Explore Shrine Maidens in Anime

In Japan we drive a Mazda CX-3 for our family car. Every morning when we get it the car its voice greets us, tells us the date, and then whatever special day it happens to be. March 5th is Miko no Hi, or Shinto Shrine Maiden Day. So in today’s post, let’s explore the world of shrine maidens in the context of anime!

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What Exactly Does a Miko Do?

Japan famously has two official religions, which they switch between depending on what stage of life they’re currently in. First is Shinto, the “Way of the Gods,” which sees deities called kami in natural places and objects, like mountains, rivers and trees. Japanese turn to Shinto for happy, life-affirming events like the naming of a newborn baby, getting married, satisfying the land before building a house, or praying for good luck in the new year. In modern Japan, Buddhism has come to be reserved for funerals or ceremonies related to remembering family members who have died.

What is attending a Buddhist funeral like, as an American living in Japan? Read my blog post here!

Miko are the women who work at a Shinto shrine, assisting the priest in running the shrine and performing jobs like selling omamori charms and so on. The term is often translated as shrine maiden, although “priestess” or “female shaman” could be substituted. Their unique red-and-white hakama clothing has become a common sight in Japanese pop culture.

Although the term “maiden” might make it seem like women working this job must be virgins, this isn’t the case. I once went to a hot springs hotel with some friends, and in the room next to us, an actual shrine maiden was staying. We invited her over to our room to drink with us, and she told us all kinds of interesting facts about miko. They’re not required to abstain from sex, although married women are not allowed to work as shrine maidens.

Let’s Explore the Best Shrine Maidens in Anime!

Reimu Hakurei from Touhou Is a Colorful Shrine Maiden

Because Shinto is such a colorful and fun religion, it’s represented much more in Japanese pop culture than the comparatively drab Buddhism. A good example is the popularity of Reimu from the Touhou Project games.

Kikyou from Inuyasha Was Many Fans’ Introduction to Miko

For a lot of anime fans, the first miko they met was Kikyou from Inuyasha. You never forget your first!

Your Name Was a Visually Pleasing Way to Learn About Japanese Culture

The hit film Your Name was another anime that introduced the imagery of Shinto to a wide audience.

Senko-san Is a Helpful Fox Shrine Maiden

The anime that made us all wish for our own 800-year-old fox girl to live with! At the end of each episode, there’s a short POV segment in which we get to experience Senko-san doing something nice for us first-hand, complete with ASMR sounds. It’s great to watch with headphones on.

Tomoe From Queen’s Blade

Another famous shrine maiden, Tomoe has a tendency to flash her huge breasts at the camera in pretty much every episode.

That Time The Girls from High School DxD Became Shrine Maidens

Did this episode give you a fetish for “sexy shrine maidens with see-through tops”? Because it did for me.

Hanyuu Furude from Higurashi When They Cry

Another standout shrine maiden from anime was Hanyuu Furude, a demon who became a goddess and lives alongside the cursed humans of Hinamizawa.

I Want a Shrine Maiden to Show Me Her Panties with a Disgusted Face

Since humans sexualize everything, it’s no surprise there’s a sexual attraction angle to shrine maidens, who are after all Japan’s version of nuns. We’ve got the doujins and the official artbook for this series in stock on the J-List site!

KumaMiko: Girl Meets Bear Was a Sexy Shrine Maiden Anime

Another anime to explore the ecchi side of shrine maidens was Kumamiko. It was about a young girl who lives with a talking bear, and each episode put her in different sexy situations.

Want Cute? Then Watch Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost

If you want a wholesome shrine maiden experience, check out this adorable show about a ghost who haunts an office building and tries to scare an overworked employee into going home, but she’s so cute that the plan backfires. It’s adorable!

A Gyaru Shrine Maiden Bitch?

Finally, the episode of Oshiete! Galko-chan, where Galko’s older sister Galko-nee showed us that a “gyaru shrine maiden bitch” was cute. This is an anime that makes us re-examine the assumptions we make about people, and it’s highly recommended!

Thanks for reading this blog post exploring the most important miko in anime. Who was your first shrine maiden? Tell us in the comments below!