What are the 'Hashira' of the Demon Slayer Corps? Their Connection to 'Hashira' – the Counter for Gods in Japanese Mythology

Hello! This is Osamu, the manga blogger.

Did you get a chance to read my last post about "Breathing Techniques and Shinto Rituals"?

Man, the more I dig into Demon Slayer, the more I find it connects to traditional Japanese culture and mythology. I just can't stop analyzing it!

So, last time was about "breathing," so this time I want to focus on the "organization" of the Demon Slayer Corps.

That's right: the top fighters of the Corps, the "Hashira" (Pillars).

They're explained as the literal "pillars" who support the organization, but I suspect there's a much deeper meaning hidden in this name.

And the hint was in an unexpected place.

It's "how you count gods in Japanese mythology."

Gods are Counted as "Hitohashira, Futahashira"

Do you all know what counter is used when counting gods (kami) in Japanese?

"Hitori, futari" (like people)? "Ittai, nitai" (like statues or bodies)?

Actually, in the world of Japan's ancient Shinto religion, kami are counted using the character for "pillar" (柱): "hitohashira, futahashira" (one pillar, two pillars).

The gods enshrined at major shrines, like Izumo Taisha or Ise Jingu, are also described in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki (ancient Japanese chronicles) as "the kami of ____, one hashira."

Why "pillar," and not "person" or "being"?

There are various theories, but it's deeply connected to the ancient Japanese belief that when kami descended from the heavens, they used trees or pillars as "yorishiro" (a vessel for the god to inhabit).

In an era before shrine buildings existed, people would pray to sacred trees or to pillars set in the ground (sometimes called "Onbashira," or sacred pillars).

In other words, "hashira" (pillar) was an extremely sacred word that symbolized the very presence of a god.

The Demon Slayer "Hashira" are "Human Yet Divine"

Knowing this, let's take another look at the "Hashira" in Demon Slayer.

There are nine of them.

The nine strongest of the Demon Slayer Corps.

Though human, they have crossed the line between life and death time and again, honed their skills to the absolute limit, and become beings who possess the power to fight on equal—or greater—terms with the "inhuman" beings known as demons.

...That's right.

They are no longer "just human."

They are those who, while still in human bodies, have stepped into the realm of "gods" in order to destroy the "calamity" that is Kibutsuji Muzan.

That's precisely why the author didn't just call them "leaders" or "master sword-fighters."

Isn't it likely they were called "Hashira" as a double meaning, combining "pillars" who support the organization with "pillars" as the unit used to count gods?

You could even say they are "nine kami" (kono-hashira) who protect humanity.

Conclusion

The designation "Hashira" for the Demon Slayer Corps.

It wasn't just about being the "support" of the organization; it was a name rooted in Japanese mythology, filled with the utmost respect, signifying that they are the strongest beings who have reached a realm where they could be called "human yet divine."

When you think of it that way, their overwhelming strength and the heavy weight of the destiny they carry hits you right in the chest, even harder.

It even makes Rengoku's "flames" look like the flames of a god, doesn't it...?

Man, even the naming alone is so deep!

Demon Slayer is truly an incredible series.

This is Osamu, signing off!