Since I have been in Japan, I have seen all kinds of birds: hawk, crane and crow! Crows are everywhere, in mountains, parks, rice fields, shrines, blossoming cherry trees …
In Western countries, a crow usually raises fear and repugnance, as it is linked with sorcery and death. However, in Ancient Greece and Rome it was highly-respected. How is it here, in Japan?
I will mention a few examples and you will judge.
According to Oxford Dictionary of English, the origin of the word ‘crow’ is ‘old English crāwe, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch kraai and German Krähe‘. In Latin language, its name is ‘corvus‘, in Ancient Greek ‘κοραξ (korax)’, and in Japanese ‘karasu‘. All these names begin with the sound 〈K〉which reminds the raucous voice (or ‘caw’) of this bird.
The most famous crow in Japanese mythology is Yatagarasu, which has three legs. The first one is a symbol of its link with Heaven’s gods (or Kami), the second one with Earth‘s and nature’s deities, and the third one with the living creatures.
In Ancient Greece as well as in Japan, this bird was linked to gods. In Greece, a red crow was dedicated to Apollo and hence had prophetic powers. In Japan, from time immemorial it was the messenger of the gods and the emperors.
Kumanojinja, a shintō shrine near Wakayama, has a crow as main symbol. There you can buy amulets and lucky charms depicting this bird.
Moreover, it is reported by the Roman Suetonius that in Rome this bird was supposed to deliver a message of hope, as its caw says ‘cras, cras‘, which means ‘tomorrow, tomorrow’.
These powers (bringing happiness and hope) seem being involved in Japanese crow’s cry. A nursery-rhyme (‘Nanatsu no ko‘) evokes family love through the symbol of crow. This song says approximately: ‘Why crow is cawing? Crow in mountain calls its seven-year old child: Darling, darling’! In Japanese language, ‘darling’ is translated by ‘kawaii’, which sounds like the caw: ‘Kāā…’
In Japan, the voice sounds nice … Elsewhere, it doesn’t.
Like its voice, the color of the bird looks good in Japan. But why is it black?
A Japanese legend says that in the past it was white. Once upon a time, wanting to change its feather’s color, the bird asked help from an owl. The owl let the crow fall into black paint, thinking that black would be a good base for adding silver or gold after. But, disappointed, the crow assaulted the owl, which ran away. Therefore, now crows come out during daytime, while owls prefer nighttime!
In Japan, black is a color that matters. For example, Okayama castle, nicknamed ‘Karasujō‘ (i.e. castle of crows) because of its black walls, looks scary, while beautiful
and a pretty woman must have black hair like ‘Karasu nureba‘ (i.e. wing of a wet crow) — very black indeed!
There is a similar story in Ancient Rome. The Latin poet Ovid tells about the story of a crow, friend of god Apollo. One day, this white animal accused Coronis of having an affair. Although Coronis was beloved by Apollo, the angry God killed her. After this murder, he decided to ban the white bird and to change it as a punishment into a black one! (Metamorphoses, II)
Moreover, in Rome this talkative bird was considered as a messenger of death. The Latin historian Valerius Maximus gives the example of the politician Cicero, who got to know his fate by a bad omen. As Cicero was staying in his villa in Gaete, suddenly a crow shakes and pulled out the needle of a sun dial. Then the bird came to the man and held his toga with its beak until arrival of some soldiers who had to kill the famous orator. (Facta et Dicta memorabilia, I, 4)
Sometimes a bad sign, like scarecrows in rice fields,
sometimes a good sign, like the emblem of Japanese soccer feminine team ‘Nade shiko‘,
the crow is a controversial bird, of bad or good omen!
But I may say that I like it, and I show you genuine pictures of a crow climbing onto the statue of a buddhist priest at Matsue.
I was lost in admiration of the scenery …
Many thanks to my friend Keiko for her precious help.