Examining the Jomon, Shinto, and prewar hemp cultures along with the modern revival movement
Hemp is the original plant of Japan, residing in the "God of Food, Clothing and Shelter"
When did we start to see hemp as something bad? Nowadays, when we hear the word “marijuana,” the image of an illegal drug comes to mind. However, this plant was originally a “sacred presence” that was deeply rooted in the spiritual culture and lives of the Japanese people.
Hemp fibers and seeds have already been found in Jomon period ruins. Hemp was used for clothing, fishing nets, ropes, mats, and even food and lamp oil – it was truly an all-purpose plant that was related to everything: **Clothing, Food, Shelter, and God**.
Of particular note is the sacredness of hemp in Shinto.
Hemp was indispensable for tools in Shinto rituals, such as shimenawa (sacred rope), bell ropes, and haraegushi (purification wands). Hemp was considered a “plant that exorcises impurities,” and it was believed that by wearing its fibers, one could purify one’s mind and body and prepare to connect with the gods.
What was cut off by GHQ's occupation policy
In 1945, Japan’s defeat in the war was followed by the occupation of Japan by the GHQ (General Headquarters of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers). In the midst of the postwar democratization and dismantling of the military, one culture was deliberately cut off: hemp.
In 1948, the Cannabis Control Act was enacted under the direction of the GHQ, and the native hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), which had been commonly cultivated in Japan until then, was suddenly deemed a dangerous plant and almost completely banned.
Farmers were forced to follow strict management systems to obtain cultivation permits, and many varieties became extinct.
Hemp gradually disappeared from shrines, and the “tool” that allowed people to feel a connection with the gods faded from the memory of the people.
This disconnection is not just a matter of law. Some people see it as a loss of spiritual culture and a dulling of the Japanese people’s “sensitivity to resonate with nature.”
The revival of hemp culture is on the rise - the "purification plant" is starting to be reevaluated
In the Reiwa era, the hemp culture of the past is quietly but powerfully reviving.
Re-cultivation of native hemp species and the inheritance of traditional hemp weaving techniques have begun all over the country.
In addition, hemp’s low environmental impact, high CO2 absorption capacity, and soil purification ability have attracted attention, and it is being reevaluated as a sustainable material.
In the world of Shinto rituals, the number of shrines that reintroduce hemp products from the past is gradually increasing.
Younger generations of priests and craftsmen are asking themselves, “Why has hemp been used?” and are working to restore the “original meaning” of hemp, rather than just a “tradition in name only.”
In addition, the legal use of hemp in the medical and wellness fields, as represented by CBD (cannabidiol), is also becoming an opportunity to change society’s perception of hemp.
In addition, the legal use of hemp in the medical and wellness fields, as represented by CBD (cannabidiol), is also becoming an opportunity to change society’s perception of hemp.
Now is the time to prepare to live with hemp
Now, 80 years after the end of the war, Japan has finally entered an era in which it is questioning “what lies at the roots of who we are.”
It is not just about food culture and rituals, but also about reconstructing how we view “forbidden plants.”
Hemp is not just a raw material or just a drug.
It is evidence that the Japanese people once had an “sensitivity to connect with nature,” and in modern times it may be the key to reconnecting the “broken circuits of the soul.”
Hemp culture was cut off by GHQ.
Its recovery is not simply a revival of tradition – it is a prayer for the future and a step toward restoring balance between civilization and nature.