▁could ▁communicate . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁also ▁the ▁ab ode ▁of ▁the ▁dead ; ▁the ▁A inu ▁word ▁for ▁ancest or ▁transl ates ▁as ▁those ▁who ▁dwell ▁in ▁the ▁hear th . ▁ ▁Trans m igration ▁is ▁a ▁ten et ▁of ▁A inu ▁myth ology , ▁so ▁it ▁was ▁doub ly ▁important ▁for ▁the ▁hear th ▁to ▁be ▁kept ▁pure , ▁because ▁the ▁sou ls ▁of ▁the ▁depart ed ▁who ▁lived ▁there ▁would ▁be ▁assigned ▁to ▁new ▁bodies ▁in ▁time . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁▁ ▁K itchen ▁god ▁ ▁Z à oj ū n , ▁Chinese ▁kitchen ▁god ▁ ▁K ō jin , ▁Japanese ▁kitchen ▁god ▁ ▁Kam uy - hu ci , ▁an ▁A inu ▁kitchen ▁god ▁ ▁H est ia , ▁Greek ▁god dess ▁of ▁the ▁hear th ▁ ▁V esta ▁( my th ology ), ▁Roman ▁god dess ▁of ▁the ▁hear th ▁ ▁Notes ▁ ▁References ▁Ash ken azy , ▁Michael . ▁Hand book ▁of ▁Japanese ▁M yth ology . ▁Santa ▁Barbara , ▁California : ▁ABC - C lio , ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁Et ter , ▁Carl . ▁A inu ▁Fol kl ore : ▁Trad itions ▁and ▁Culture ▁of ▁the ▁Van ishing ▁Ab orig ines ▁of ▁Japan . ▁Chicago : ▁Wil co x ▁and ▁Fol lett , ▁ 1 9 4 9 . ▁Mun ro , ▁Neil ▁Gordon . ▁A inu ▁Cre ed ▁and ▁Cult . ▁New ▁York : ▁Columbia ▁University ▁Press , ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁ ▁Category : Dom estic ▁and ▁hear th