Bóstwo czarnej ospy w Japonii okresu Tokugawa jako element wierzeń ludowych i sintoistycznych

No illness had a larger impact on the lives of Japanese people in the early modern period than smallpox. Present in Japan since at least the 8th century, in the Tokugawa period smallpox became an inherent part of everyday life. In the face of insufficient medical knowledge, people turned to religion to save their families, which led to the birth of smallpox deity – hōsōgami, a bringer of illness but also a powerful protector. This paper explores the historical origins and discusses major characteristics of the smallpox deity in Tokugawa Japan as an element of folk beliefs and Shintō belief system, drawing on a popular folk tale – the tale of Sasara Sanpachi, and historical sources related to the cult of smallpox deity in the Shintō shrines of Sumiyoshi Daimyōjin and Sagi Daimyōjin.