Shinto Shinto More... Shinto Shinto ("the way of the gods") is the indigenous faith of the Japanese people and as old as Japan itself. It remains Japan's major religion alongside Buddhism . Introduction Shinto does not have a founder nor does it have sacred scriptures like the sutras or the Bible. Propaganda and preaching are not common either, because Shinto is deeply rooted in the Japanese people and traditions. "Shinto gods" are called kami. They are sacred spirits which take the form of things and concepts important to life, such as wind, rain, mountains, trees, rivers and fertility. Humans become kami after they die and are revered by their families as ancestral kami. The kami of extraordinary people are even enshrined at some shrines. The Sun Goddess Amaterasu is considered Shinto's most important kami. Some prominent rocks are worshiped as kami. In contrast to many monotheistic religions, there are no absolutes in Shinto. There is no absolute right and wrong, and nobody is perfect. Shinto is an optimistic faith, as humans are thought to be fundamentally good, and evil is believed to be caused by evil spirits.

Consequently, the purpose of most Shinto rituals is to keep away evil spirits by purification, prayers and offerings to the kami. Shinto shrines are the places of worship and the homes of kami. Most shrines celebrate festivals (matsuri) regularly in order to show the kami the outside world. Please read more on our special information pages about shrines and festivals . Shinto priests perform Shinto rituals and often live on the shrine grounds. Men and women can become priests, and they are allowed to marry and have children. Priests are aided by younger women (miko) during rituals and shrine tasks. Miko wear white kimono , must be unmarried, and are often the priests' daughters. Important features of Shinto art are shrine architecture and the cultivation and preservation of ancient art forms such as Noh theater , calligraphy and court music ( gagaku ), an ancient dance music that originated in the courts of Tang China (618 - 907). Ise Jingu is Shinto's most sacred shrine. Shinto History The introduction of Buddhism in the 6th century was followed by a few initial conflicts, however, the two religions were soon able to co-exist and even complement each other.

Many Buddhists viewed the kami as manifestations of Buddha. In the Meiji Period , Shinto was made Japan's state religion. Shinto priests became state officials, important shrines started to receive governmental funding, Japan's creation myths were used to foster an emperor cult, and efforts were made to separate and emancipate Shinto from Buddhism . After World War II , Shinto and the state were separated. Tokyo's Meiji Shrine is dedicated to the spirits of Emperor Meiji. Shinto Today People seek support from Shinto by praying at a home altar or by visiting shrines . A whole range of talismans are available at shrines for traffic safety, good health, success in business, safe childbirth, good exam performance and more. A large number of wedding ceremonies are held in Shinto style. Death, however, is considered a source of impurity, and is left to Buddhism to deal with. Consequently, there are virtually no Shinto cemeteries, and most funerals are held in Buddhist style.

Advertisement Shinto - The Indigenous Religion of Japan - Japanese Culture Shinto - The Indigenous Religion of Japan Guest Author - Joy Alari The word Shinto is made up of two characters, and they are ï¿½Shinï¿½ which means Kami and ï¿½toï¿½ which means Wa, in other words, Shinto means the way of the gods. Shinto is the indigenous religion of Japan and it dates back to 200 BC, Shinto beliefs are based on the fact that both the gods or spirit, are found in all living things. The gods or kami (kah-me) are believed to reside in beautiful, sacred places such as waterfalls or ancient forests. Artists who display exceptional skills are believed to have the hand of the Kami in their lives, even some non-living things such as rocks are believed to contain the presence of kami. Unlike many other religions, Shintoism has no formalized book or writings to guide their faithfuls, rather Shintoism emphasizes on a constant search, of harmony with nature, coupled with the recognition and appreciation, for a godï¿½s presence in oneï¿½s surroundings.

Shintoism also believes that in these sacred spaces, one can truly connect with the spiritual realm. It wasnï¿½t until 540, when Buddhism finally reached the shores of Japan, that Shintoism began to have a formalized structure, before Buddhism there were numerous shrines scattered throughout Japan, which recognized only the local kamis, the kami was important to local townships and were greatly revered. But with the introduction of Buddhism, it was obviously necessary to preserve the indigenous religion of Japan, which was begun by the structuring of all the various kamis, that were worshipped in Japan. The Japanese were eventually able to organize, the various kami structures or shrines into what was eventually termed as Shintoism. Also it wasn't until recently that the Japanese government, altered Shintoism to create a State Shinto which was specially for propaganda purposes and today there are thousands, if not tens of thousands Shinto shrines in Japan. In Japan today, Shintoism has returned to its original form of Jinja Shinto (Shinto Shrine) which emphasizes and appreciates the beauty, of the supernatural around us, recognizing that we are an inseparable part of the world, in which we co-exist with other living things.

The famous Japanese torii (red gateways) serves to let anyone passing through, know that the area they are approaching is indeed sacred, while it would take several long writings, to feature all the prominent shrines in Japan, here are two to start: Ise Shrine The Ise Shrine is the most important, as well as oldest of Shinto shrines in Japan, it was built during the third and fifth centuries. The Ise Shrine consists of an inner shrine called Naiku as well as an outer shrine called Geku. These wooden buildings, are dedicated to the kami Toyouke and the Amaterasu Omikami. The Ise shrine is next to the Isuzu River, which is at the base of Mount Kamiji and Mount Shimaji in southern Honshu Japan. There is also a sort of weird fact that the Ise Shrine, is said to be about 2,000 years old but its structures are always rebuilt every twenty years! Well the next rebuilding will take place in 2013.

Kamo Wake-Ikazuchi Jinja (Kamigamo Shrine) This is the oldest Shinto shrine, it is in the ancient city of Kyoto, this shrine is dedicated to the deity Wakeikazuchi, it was built in 678 during the reign of Emperor Temmu. For more information on Shintoism, please visit the website of the International Shinto Foundation. Shinto | Religion | Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology Practice and Orientations to Nature Rosemarie Bernard Harvard University Introduction Shinto (or kannagara no michi, literally “the way of the deities”) is Japan’s indigenous religion. Shinto refers to diverse and localized religious beliefs, ritual practices, and institutions. On the one hand, Shinto encompasses local community practices, while on the other it also includes the elaborate and highly structured ceremonial practices of the imperial institution and, in earlier historical periods, of the state. From its beginnings in early Japanese history, Shinto has been profoundly influenced by Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Syncretic interaction with Buddhism, in particular, has been strong historically.

Yet, at the beginning of Japan’s modernization Shinto would be officially separated from Buddhism at the level of divinities worshiped, ritual practices, and institutional structures. Following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Shinto ritual practices were centralized and reorganized according to a hierarchy that brought even the smallest outlying Shinto shrines within the fold of state administration, with the emperor and his rituals at the center. The effects of those modern transformations were profound as regards ceremonial practices and institutional structure, but less so upon the most fundamental beliefs that are characteristic of the Shinto orientation to the world. Today, there are more than 80,000 Shinto shrines that are scattered all over the Japanese archipelago. There deities are worshiped and rituals are still performed according to the general patterns established by the state for all shrines in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Yet this is carried out in keeping with localized tradition and regional or community preferences. Regionality of Shinto religious practice accounts for great diversity in Shinto, while those different instances share certain basic beliefs and values. It is impossible to consider the topic of Shinto and ecology without making reference to the broader issue of Japanese cultural attitudes to the natural environment.

This is because what one might describe as Shinto beliefs are often values that are entrenched in Japanese folk culture in general, and which find expression in other areas beyond religion, from sociopolitical organization to aesthetics, and so on. Yet, as Conrad Totman has noted in his work on the history of forestry in Japan, 1 the destruction of the natural environment gradually increased to such proportions that the archipelago came to stages of severe environmental degradation several times, only to be barely saved by systematic, usually centrally managed, programs of reforestation. Indeed, it is an irony that a country in which the boundaries between culture and nature are so fluid should have undergone such a degree of environmental degradation. However, such historical developments must also be understood against the background of Japanese culture, according to which nature is valued not as “wild nature,” but instead as “humanized” or “culturalized” nature. In Japan, nature is “cultivated” by culture. Nature is idealized in its “cultured” forms. Some would argue that historically religions, including Shinto, have played a part in the wanton exploitation of forest resources.

On the other hand, Japanese indigenous religion and its orientation to the world, which are interconnected with nature and aesthetics, have a great deal to offer in the struggle to conserve the environment. The Shinto beliefs and attitudes toward nature which are relevant to the problem of environmental preservation include three key points. First, great value is accorded sacred space and time, generally as shrines in groves, the boundaries of which are demarcated as distinct from the secular world. The location of Shinto shrines in local landscapes is an important dimension of their sacredness. As Japanese folklorists have often emphasized, the traditional Japanese village, in close proximity to a community shrine, is focused on agriculture, with seasonal worship of deities offered the fruits of production. The agricultural cycle provides the rhythms of ritual activities that punctuate the year. Cyclical time, periodic time repeats itself as an eternal process. The second point notes a close relation between nature, deities (kami), and human beings. The interactivity of those three is such that human beings also act upon the world they inhabit with nature and deities. Preventing the natural world from devolving into a state of chaos is the goal of certain ritual action.

Discretion towards nature and the kami is essential, since they nurture human life. In Shinto, and in Japanese folk beliefs more generally, the natural and social environments are interrelated. In spatial and topographical terms, this is manifested in the arrangement of traditional residences in relation to fields, mountains, and rivers. The community shrine, situated in a forested grove, is the very expression of the community itself (in a Durkheimian sense) that sacralizes itself in the demarcated domain of sacred space. Finally, the idea of purification is a key aspect of all ritual activity in Shinto. Purification (harae) is performed to reestablish order and balance between nature, humans, and deities. Regularly performed as part of all ritual, as well as on special occasions during the year, purification ceremonies counteract pollution (kegare). Harm done or accreted pollution can be neutralized by means of ritual purification. The latter, in particular, is a key dimension of the relationship between the Japanese and nature, which warrants “cultivation” and exploitation of the environment on the one hand, yet which on the other emphasizes the need to rectify imbalances between nature, humans, and deities.

Religious belief is not only a matter of thought, but equally of practice. While many Japanese are likely to believe that by virtue of their cultural identity they live in harmony with nature, one cannot help but recognize the ecological devastation of many parts of Japan. Shinto is a diverse set of beliefs and practices which have been deeply embeded in Japanese cultural history. Shinto ritual, in particular, has had a role to play in Japan’s modernization, and continues to be affected, as is all of Japanese society, by the impact of technological and economic change. At present, the only significant green spaces in crowded Japanese urban centers are the groves that surround Shinto shrines. Even the simple preservation of those shrine groves is a difficult task to achieve given the onslaught of pollution as well as pressures to make spatial concessions to further urban growth. The Shinto community is aware of the importance of its special position as guarantor of groves of urban and outlying greenery. Moreover, they are aware of the crucial challenges of translating tradition into modern relevance, so as to transform belief systems into environmental practice.

About this Author Rosemarie Bernard is an anthropologist who has done research on Shinto ritual, specifically on the rites of renewal at the Grand Shrines of Ise, and on Japanese imperial ritual. From April 1993 to March 1994 she was an Information Officer in the Public Relations Section of Jingu Shicho (the bureaucracy that manages The Grand Shrines of Ise). She is currently a Junior Fellow in the Society of Fellows at Harvard University. She is editing the forthcoming volume, Shinto and Ecology, in the CSWR/Harvard University Press World Religion and Ecology book series. Endnotes 1 Conrad Totman, The Green Archipelago (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1990). Japanese Religion Origins, Japanese Religion History, Japanese Religion Beliefs Share "Japanese Religion" is a general term used to describe the unique combination of a great variety of religious traditions within Japan. Religion in Japan reflects a long history during which various religious beliefs and practices—some indigenous, some "imported" from other places—have been adopted and adapted to Japanese culture.

The ancient indigenous folk religion, later formalized as Shinto, was based on feelings of awe toward the sacred powers (kami) that brought life to the earth and human community. In the 6th century C.E., Buddhism was introduced into Japan; it both influenced Shinto beliefs and practices and also incorporated Shinto elements. Both Confucianism and Taoism migrated to Japan, impacting Japanese culture, religion, philosophy, and politics. Japanese religion adopted Chinese Buddhist rituals, Taoist story-telling and divination, as well as Confucian concepts of piety and ancestor veneration. New popular schools of Buddhism formed in Japan, taking on a structure of their own. Pure Land, Zen, and Nichiren Buddhism all developed in Japan, with the Nichiren school taking on a uniquely Japanese character. In the 16th century C.E., Western religion was introduced in Japan in the form of Christianity by Jesuit missionaries, including Francis Xavier. In response to this missionary activity, some Japanese led a resurgence of the ancient traditions of Shinto, Buddhism, and Confucianism.

These complex, hybrid Japanese religions continue to play a significant role Japanese culture, although there is also a sense that, as in other contexts, much of the religious and spiritual heritage unique to Japan is being swallowed by modern secular life. Shinto - Traditional Religion of Japan Shinto - Traditional Religion of Japan Alternative Religions Expert By Catherine Beyer Shinto, roughly meaning "the way of the gods," is the traditional religion of Japan. It centers upon the relationship between practitioners and a multitude of supernatural entities called kami who are associated with all aspects of life. Kami: Western texts on Shinto commonly translate kami as spirit or god. Neither term works well for the entirety of kami, which span a wide range of supernatural beings, from unique and personified entities to ancestors to impersonal forces of nature. Read more: The Kami Organization: Shinto practices are determined largely by need and tradition rather than dogma. While there are permanent places of worship in the form of shrines, some of them in the form of vast complexes, each shrine operates independently of each other. The Shinto priesthood is largely a family affair being passed from parents to children. Each shrine is dedicated to a particular kami.

Four Affirmations: Shinto practices can be roughly summed up by the four affirmations: Tradition and family Love of nature – The kami are an integral part of nature. Physical cleanliness – Purification rites are an important part of Shinto Festivals and ceremonies – Dedicated to honoring and amusing the kami Shinto Texts: Many texts are valued in the Shinto religion. They contain the folklore and history upon which Shinto is based, rather than being holy scripture. The earliest date from the 8th century CE, while Shinto itself has existed for more than a millennium before that point in time. Central Shinto texts include the Kojiki, the Rokkokushi, the Shoku Nihongi, and the Jinno Shotoki. Relationship with Buddhism and Other Religions: It is possible to follow both Shinto and other religions. In particular, a great many people who follow Shinto also follow aspects of Buddhism. For example, death rituals are commonly performed according to Buddhist traditions, in part because Shinto practices focus primarily on life events – birth, marriage, honoring of kami – and not on afterlife theology.

Understanding Shinto, Japan's Native Religion Source: thewanderingyogini Since Shinto is very Japanese by nature and does not try to press others to join them, the percentage of Shinto followers living in this world is very small, with pretty much all of them residing in Japan. I think that's nice though. Shinto is inherently Japanese, and its just another one of those things that you can really only get the full experience and understand while in Japan. Instead of sacred texts, Shinto bases most of its beliefs on four ancient books. These books are the Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters) which is the foundation to written Shinto history, the Shoku Nihongi and its Nihon Shoki (Continuing Chronicles of Japan), the Rikkokushi (Six National Histories), and the Jinnō Shōtōki (a study of Shinto and Japanese politics and history). Shinto Beliefs Source: PlatinumGames Shinto is all about the kami. Kami (sacred spirits) are the "gods" in Shinto. They take the form of many things such as animals, plants, lakes, and rivers. As such, Shinto is a form of animism .

Humans become kami after they die and are honored as ancestral kami with some families actually having little shrines in their homes. The Goddess Amaterasu is widely considered to be Shinto's most famous kami and she was even the star of her very own video game, Ōkami (see above). There are no real absolutes in Shinto – everything is kind of grey. They don't believe in absolute right or wrong and they acknowledge that nobody is perfect. They view humans as fundamentally good, with the evils in the world being caused by troublesome and devilish kami. As such, the purpose of most Shinto rituals is to keep away evil spirits. This is achieved by purification, prayers, and offerings. It sounds like a pretty laid back religion to me. I like that. Source: PlatinumGames Shinto teaches that people should want their sins cleansed for one's own peace, not because sinning is inherently wrong. It's natural. Shinto does have some freaky beliefs too though. Those who die holding a grudge strong enough to keep them attached to the physical world will become evil, revenge seeking kami, as seen in The Grudge and many other Japanese horror movies .

So, Shinto has its easygoing ups as well as its terrifying downs. Shinto Rituals Source: Michael Yamashita Purification rituals are an essential part of Shinto. New buildings constructed in Japan are frequently blessed by a Shinto priest during the groundbreaking ceremony, and many Japanese cars are blessed at some point in their assembly. I wonder if they get a little sticker or certificate saying they were blessed. Hmm… Anyway, many Japanese businesses built outside Japan often get Shinto rites performed on them as well. Both men and women can become Shinto priests, and they're even allowed to marry and have children. Some even live on site with the shrine they're in charge of. Priests are aided by young women known as miko during Shinto rituals and performances. Miko wear white kimono, must be unmarried, and are often daughters of the Shinto priests. Source: Japan Times Followers of Shinto can seek support from kami in many different ways. They can pray at the shrines in their homes or visit a local public shrine. There are also millions upon millions of little charms and talismans available to give people good health, good grades, good business, and more. A large number of Japanese wedding ceremonies today Shinto ceremonies.

I think Christian weddings are up there too though. Death on the other hand is considered a source of impurity, so Japan lets the Buddhists deal with all that. If you want to learn more about it, you can check out my post on What Happens After You Die in Japan . Because of this there really aren't any Shinto cemeteries, just shrines. While I don't really ascribe to the beliefs of Shinto myself, I still think it's pretty cool and a unique aspect of Japanese culture. While we were over there, we got to see a lot of Shinto shrines and they were really cool. They felt very calm and usually had a lot of nature going on around them. Shinto's okay in my book. Shinto: The Indigenous Religion of Japan | Shinto - Way of God Shinto - Way of God Shinto: The Indigenous Religion of Japan People Category: Shinto - Way of God Hits: 3960 Shinto: The Indigenous Religion of Japan Shinto (also Shintoism) is the term for the indigenous religious beliefs and practices of Japan.

Shinto has no founder, no official sacred scriptures, and no fixed creeds, but it has preserved its main beliefs and rituals throughout the ages. The word Shinto, which comes from the Chinese shin tao, meaning "the way of kami", came into use in order to distinguish indigenous Japanese beliefs from Buddhism, which had been introduced into Japan in the 6th century AD. Shinto (together with Buddhism) is intimately tied to Japanese society and culture. Shinto's relationship with other religions in Japan are generally cooperative and harmonious. Shintoists insist on maintaining their own characteristics and inner depth while working toward the peaceful coexistence of human beings. Fast Facts No known date or founder. Shinto is the indigenous religion of Japan. Adherents: Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters); Nihongi or Nihon shoki (Chronicles of Japan) Beliefs: Polytheism based on the kami, ancient gods or spirits. Practices: Worship and offerings to kami at shrines and at home. Purification rituals. History Shinto has no founder or founding date. When the Japanese people and Japanese culture became aware of themselves, Shinto was already there.

Yayoi culture, which originated in the northern area of the island of Kyushu around the 3rd or 2nd century BC, is directly related to later Japanese culture and Shinto. Among the primary Yayoi religious phenomena were agricultural rites and shamanism. Early shamans (miko) performed the ceremonies; eventually those of the Yamato tribe did so on behalf of the other tribes and their chieftain assumed duties that led to headship of the Shinto state. Confucianism reached Japan in the 5th century AD, and by the 7th century it had spread among the people together with Chinese Taoism and yin-yang (harmony of two basic forces of nature) philosophy. All of these stimulated the development of Shinto ethical teachings. With the gradual centralization of political power, Shinto began to develop as a national cult as well. Shinto became political by the 8th century when Yamato writers ascribed divine origins to the imperial family and so claimed legitmacy for rule. By the beginning of the 10th century, about 3,000 shrines throughout Japan were receiving state offerings.

Buddhism was officially introduced into Japan in AD 552 and developed gradually. In the 8th century there emerged tendencies to interpret Shinto from a Buddhist viewpoint. Shinto kami were viewed as protectors of Buddhism; hence shrines for tutelary kami were built within the precincts of Buddhist temples. Shinto kami were made equivalent to deva (the Buddhist Sanskrit term for “gods”) who rank highest in the Realm of Ignorance, according to Buddhist notions. By the late 8th century kami were thought to be incarnations of buddhas and bodhisattvas. Bodhisattva names were given to kami, and Buddhist statues were placed even in the inner sanctuaries of Shinto shrines. In some cases, Buddhist priests were in charge of the management of Shinto shrines. From the beginning of the Kamakura period (1192–1333), theories of Shinto-Buddhist amalgamation were formulated. The most important of the syncretic schools to emerge were Ryobu (Dual Aspect) Shinto and Sanno ("King of the Mountain") Shinto.

The anti-Buddhist Ise or Watarai Shinto appeared in the city of Ise during the 13th century as a reaction against the Shinto-Buddhist amalgamation; it attempted to exclude Buddhist accretions and also tried to formulate a pure Japanese version. In 1603 the Tokugawa shogunate was founded in Edo (Tokyo), and contact between Shinto and Confucianism was resumed. Scholars tried to interpret Shinto from the standpoint of Neo-Confucianism, emphasizing the unity of Shinto and Confucian teachings. Schools emerged based on the teachings of the Chinese philosophers Chu Hsi and Wang Yang-ming, and Neo-Confucianism became an official subject of study for warriors. Fukko (Restoration) Shinto began toward the end of the 17th century. Advocates of this school maintained that the norms of Shinto should not be sought in Buddhist or Confucian interpretations but in the beliefs and life-attitudes of their ancestors as clarified by philological study of the Japanese classics. Motoori Norinaga (1730–1801) represented this school.

His emphasis was on the belief in musubi (the mystical power of becoming or of creation), which had been popular in ancient Shinto, and on a this-worldly view of life, which anticipated the eternal progress of the world in ever-changing mutations. These beliefs, together with the inculcation of respect for the Imperial line and the teaching of absolute faith—according to which all problems beyond human capability were turned over to kami—exercised great influence on modern Shinto doctrines. In the early Meiji period (1868-1912), the religion was divided into Shrine Shinto (Jinja) and Sect Shinto (Kyoha). An Imperial Rescript on Education made it the formal foundation of the state. The divinity of the emperor was stressed, based on Confucian concepts of loyalty to the emperor and the state. During the latter part of the 19th century, new religious movements emerged out of the social confusion and unrest of the people. What these new movements taught differed widely: some were based on mountain-worship groups, which were half Buddhist and half Shinto; some placed emphasis on purification and ascetic practices; and some combined Confucian and Shinto teachings.

The new religious movements were based mostly on individual religious experiences and aimed at healing diseases or spiritual salvation. These sectarian Shinto groups, numbering 13 during the Meiji period (1868–1912), were stimulated and influenced by Restoration Shinto. They can be classified as follows: Revival Shinto sects: Izumo-oyashiro-kyo (or Taisha-kyo), Shinto-taikyo, Shinri-kyo Confucian sects: Shinto Shusei-ha, Shinto Taisei-kyo Purification sects: Shinshu-kyo, Misogi-kyo Mountain worship sects: Jikko-kyo, Fuso-kyo, On take-kyo (or Mitake-kyo) "Faith-healing" sects: Kurozumi-kyo, Konko-kyo, Tenri-kyo After the Second World War, Shinto lost its status as an official religion, shrine membership was not required and contributions became voluntary. The "nationalization" of Yasukuni shrine, home of the remains of war dead, is a current issue.

Texts Shinto does not have any philosophical literature or official scripture that can be compared to texts like the Bible or the Qur'an. But the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters) and the Nihongi or Nihon shoki (Chronicles of Japan), are in a sense the sacred books of Shinto. They were written in AD 712 and 720, respectively, and are compilations of the oral traditions, mythology and ceremonies of ancient Shinto. But they are also books about the history, topography, and literature of ancient Japan. Also important is the collection of 50 books known as Engishiki, completed in 927. These deal with the laws governing shrine ceremonies, the organization of religious leadership, and official prayers and liturgies. Beliefs At the core of Shinto are beliefs in the mysterious creating and harmonizing power (musubi) of kami and in the truthful way (makoto) of kami. The nature of kami cannot be fully explained in words, because kami transcends the cognitive faculty of man. Devoted followers, however, are able to understand kami through faith and usually recognize various kami in polytheistic form.

The kami began as the mysterious forces of nature associated primarily with permanent features in the landscape, such as unusual mountains, rocky cliffs, caves, springs, trees and stones. Many folk tales evolved around these holy places, which often refer to animal possession and chiefly involve foxes, badgers, dogs and cats betwitching people. Celestial bodies play only incidental roles as Shinto kami. Today, parishioners of a shrine believe in their tutelary kami as the source of human life and existence. Each kami has a divine personality and responds to truthful prayers. The kami also reveals makoto to people and guides them to live in accordance with it. In traditional Japanese thought, truth manifests itself in empirical existence and undergoes transformation in infinite varieties in time and space. In Shinto all the deities are said to cooperate with one another, and life lived in accordance with a kami's will is believed to produce a mystical power that gains the protection, cooperation, and approval of all the particular kami. Shinto holds a generally positive view of human nature. A common Shinto saying is that "man is kami's child." First, this means that a person was given his life by kami and that his nature is therefore sacred.

In actuality, however, this divine nature is seldom revealed in man, which gives rise to the need for purification (see Practices, below). Second, it means that daily life is made possible by kami, and, accordingly, the personality and life of people are worthy of respect. An individual must revere the basic human rights of everyone as well as his own. Shinto is described as a religion of tsunagari ("continuity or community"). The Japanese, while recognizing each man as an individual personality, do not take him as a solitary being separated from others. On the contrary, he is regarded as the bearer of a long, continuous history that comes down from his ancestors and continues in his descendants. He is also considered as a responsible member of various social groups. Motoori Norinaga stated that the human world keeps growing and developing while continuously changing. Similarly, Japanese mythology speaks of an eternity of history in the divine edict of Amaterasu. In its view of history, Shinto adheres to the cyclical approach, according to which there is a constant recurrence of historical patterns. Shinto does not have the concept of the "last day": there is no end of the world or of history.

From the viewpoint of finite individuals, Shintoists also stress naka-ima ("middle present"), which repeatedly appears in the Imperial edicts of the 8th century. According to this point of view, the present moment is the very center in the middle of all conceivable times. In order to participate directly in the eternal development of the world, it is required of Shintoists to live fully each moment of life, making it as worthy as possible. Historically, the Shinto beliefs and rituals of each local community has played an important role in harmonizing different elements and powers. After the Meiji Restoration (1868), Shinto was used as a means of spiritually unifying the people during repeated wars. Since the end of World War II, the age-old desire for peace has been reemphasized.

The General Principles of Shinto Life proclaimed by the Association of Shinto Shrines in 1956 has the following article: "In accordance with the Emperor's will, let us be harmonious and peaceful, and pray for the nation's development as well as the world's co-prosperity." Practices Shinto ceremonies are designed to appeal to the kami for benevolent treatment and protection and consist of abstinence (imi), offerings, prayers and purification (harae). Purification, by washing with water, symbolically removes the dust and impurities that cover one's inner mind. A traditional Japanese home has two family altars: one, Shinto, for their tutelary kami and the goddess Amaterasu Omikami, and another, Buddhist, for the family ancestors. Pure Shinto families, however, will have all ceremonies and services in Shinto style. Shinto does not have weekly religious services. Some may go to the shrines on the 1st and 15th of each month and on the occasions of rites or festivals (matsuri), which take place at fixed times during the year (see Holidays, below).

Shinto followers visit the shrine at their convenience; though some devotees pay respect to the shrine every morning. Shinto shrines are regarded as the home of the kami. The most important shrine building is the inner sanctuary (honden), in which a sacred symbol called shintai ("kami body") or mitama-shiro ("divine spirit's symbol") is enshrined. The usual symbol is a mirror, but sometimes it is a wooden image, a sword, or some other object. In any case, it is carefully wrapped and placed in a container. It is forbidden to see it: only the chief priest is allowed to enter inside the inner sanctuary. A torii (gateway) stands at the entrance of shrine precincts. Proceeding on the main approach, a visitor comes to an ablution basin where the hands are washed and the mouth is rinsed. Usually he or she will make a small offering at the oratory (haiden) and pray. Sometimes a visitor may ask the priest to conduct rites of passage or to offer special prayers. Various Shinto rites of passage are observed.

The first visit of a newborn baby to the tutelary kami, which occurs 30 to 100 days after birth, is to initiate the baby as a new adherent. The Shichi-go-san (Seven-Five-Three) festival on November 15 is the occasion for boys of five years and girls of three and seven years of age to visit the shrine to give thanks for kami's protection and to pray for their healthy growth. January 15 is Adults' Day. Youth in the village used to join the local young men's association on this day. At present it is the commemoration day for those Japanese who have attained their 20th year. The Japanese usually have their wedding ceremonies in Shinto style and pronounce their wedding vows to kami. Shinto funerals, however, are not common, due to Shinto concerns about ritual purity. The majority of the Japanese have their funerals in Buddhist style. There are other Shinto rites for occupations or daily life, such as a ceremony of purifying a building site or for setting up the framework for a new building, a purifying ceremony for the boilers in a new factory, a completion ceremony for a construction works, or a launching ceremony for a new ship.

Holidays Each Shinto shrine has several major festivals (matsuri) each year, including the Spring Festival (Haru Matsuri or Toshigoi-no-Matsuri), Autumn or Harvest Festival (Aki Matsuri, or Niiname-sai), an Annual Festival (Rei-sai), and the Divine Procession (Shinko-sai). The Divine Procession usually takes place on the day of the Annual Festival, and miniature shrines (mikoshi) carried on the shoulders are transported through the parish. The order of rituals at a grand festival is usually as follows: Purification rites (harae), commonly held at a corner of the shrine precincts before participants come into the shrine but sometimes held within the shrine before beginning a ceremony. Adoration. The chief priest and all the congregation bow to the altar. Opening of the door of the inner sanctuary (by the chief priest). Presentation of food offerings. Rice, sake wine, rice cakes, fish, seaweed, vegetables, salt, water, etc., are offered but animal meat is not, because of the taboo on shedding blood in the sacred area. In the past cooked food was usually offered to kami, but nowadays uncooked food is more often used.

In accordance with this change, the idea of entertaining kami changed to that of thanksgiving. Prayer. The chief priest recites prayers (norito) modeled on ancient Shinto prayers. These prayers were compiled in the early 10th century and were based on the old belief that spoken words had spiritual potency. Sacred music and dance. General offering. Participants in the festival make symbolic offerings using little branches of the evergreen sacred tree to which strips of white paper are tied. Taking offerings away. Shutting the door of the inner sanctuary. Final adoration. Feast (naorai). Since World War II it has become popular to have a brief sermon or speech before the feast. Most Shinto festivals are observed generally in accordance with the above order.

On such occasions as the Annual Festival, various special rites may be held—for example, special water purification (misogi) and confinement in shrines for devotional purposes (o-komori), the procession of a sacred palanquin (o-miyuki) or of boats (funa matsuri), a ceremonial feast (toya matsuri), sumo wrestling, horseback riding (kurabe-uma), archery (matoi), a lion dance (shishi mai), and a rice-planting festival (o-taue matsuri). CrystalWind.ca is free to access and use. If you appreciate the information provided, please help keep this website running. Blessings! SHINTO: BEYOND “JAPAN’S INDIGENOUS RELIGION” | DeepDyve Try 2 weeks free now SHINTO: BEYOND “JAPAN’S INDIGENOUS RELIGION” SHINTO – A SHORT HISTORY By Inoue Nobutaka Itô Satoshi , Endô Jun , and Mori Mizue Edited by Inoue Nobutaka Translated and adapted by Mark Teeuwen and John Breen London : RoutledgeCurzon , 2003 Pp .

xv + 223 . Cloth, $125.00 , ISBN 0‐415‐31179‐9 ; paper, $37.95 , ISBN 0‐415‐31913‐7 . BUDDHAS AND KAMI IN JAPAN: HONJI SUIJAKU AS A COMBINATORY PARADIGM Edited by Mark Teeuwen and Fabio Rambelli London : RoutledgeCurzon , 2003 Pp . ix + 371 . $125.00 , ISBN 0‐415‐29747‐8 . SHINTO: THE WAY HOME By Thomas P. Kasulis Honolulu : University of Hawai’i Press , 2004 Pp . xx + 184 . Cloth, $45.00 , ISBN 0‐8248‐2794‐5 ; paper, $15.00 , ISBN 0‐8248‐2850‐X . SOURCEBOOK IN SHINTO: SELECTED DOCUMENTS By Stuart D. B.

Picken Resources in Asian Philosophy and Religion Westport, CT : Praeger Publishers , 2004 Pp . xxv + 399 . $149.95 , ISBN 0‐313‐26432‐5 . Reviewer: Sarah Thal University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison, WI 53706 Dangerous traps threaten to ensnare any author writing about Shinto. The “Way of the Kami” has for so long been touted as “Japan’s indigenous religion” or “the essence of being Japanese” that essentialism, overgeneralization, Religious Studies Review Wiley Volume 32 Number 3 / July 2006 Religious Studies Review / 145 © 2006 Council of Societies for the Study of Religion REVIEW ESSAYS By Inoue Nobutaka Itô Satoshi, Endô Jun, and Mori Mizue Edited by Inoue Nobutaka Translated and adapted by Mark Teeuwen and John Breen London: RoutledgeCurzon, 2003 223.

Cloth, $125.00, ISBN 0-415-31179-9; paper, $37.95, ISBN 0-415-31913-7. BUDDHAS AND KAMI IN JAPAN: HONJI SUIJAKU Edited by Mark Teeuwen and Fabio Rambelli London: RoutledgeCurzon, 2003 Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 2004 Pp. xx 184. Cloth, $45.00, ISBN 0-8248-2794-5; paper, $15.00, ISBN 0-8248-2850-X. SOURCEBOOK IN SHINTO: SELECTED DOCUMENTS By Stuart D. B. Picken Resources in Asian Philosophy and Religion Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 2004 Pp. xxv angerous traps threaten to ensnare any author writing about Shinto.

The “Way of the Kami” has for so long been touted as “Japan’s indigenous religion” or “the essence of being Japanese” that essentialism, overgeneralization, and romanticism dominate many discussions of kami-related religious practices in Japan. While most scholars today successfully avoid these pro- blems, others still expound some version of the aesthetic natio- nalism promoted by nativists and nationalists since the late eighteenth century. Thus, to read the recent work on Shinto is to be both inspired and dismayed—inspired, because a wealth of solid, innovative work has transformed our understanding of Shinto; dismayed, because old, debilitating ideas about Shinto as “experientialism” or “Japaneseness” remain alive.

I would like to take this opportunity to do two things: ﬁrst, to provide a very brief synopsis of the history of Shinto to help clarify the problems inherent in these essentialist portrayals of Shinto; and second, to use four recent works to explore both how new approaches to the history of Shinto have revolutionized our understanding of the Way of the Kami, and how and why some scholars continue to portray Shinto as a particularly Japanese, aesthetic, and experien- tial form of religion. For more than a century, people both inside and outside Japan have portrayed Shinto as “the essence of the Japanese people”— D that is, as an underlying mode of thought and action that charac- terizes all true Japanese. Already in the late seventh and early eighth centuries, histories commissioned by the imperial house attested to the worship of kami in Japan.

It was not until Motoori Norinaga in the late 1700s, however, that scholars looked back to those early texts to identify a uniquely Japanese way of worship, ostensibly shared by all Japanese, and distinct from the worship of foreigners—a way, according to Motoori, characterized by an innate sensitivity to nature and an unselﬁsh oneness with the will of the kami, unmediated by individual thought. Until Motoori’s time, and for more than a century thereafter, worship of kami had been virtually inseparable from other forms of religious practice. Buddhist priests ofﬁciated over Buddhist rites at shrines to such kami; shrines and Buddhist temples were operated together; and kami were often interpreted as trace man- ifestations ( related (and thus imperially-connected) rituals, shrines, and priests. The rituals and teachings that they promoted soon came to be known as Shinto—and were explained to both Japanese and foreigners alike as time-honored, indigenous practice.

Thus, purity and sincerity expressed through selﬂess obedience to the will of the gods (and consequently to the Japanese emperor, considered a direct descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu) became trumpeted as quintessentially Japanese virtues—an uncritical oversimpliﬁcation that aided the rise of fascism in Japan and served the makers of wartime propaganda very well. In short, Motoori’s intuitive, aestheticized version of kami worship fueled the development of a national cult of innate sensitivity—what we now call Shinto—that has since been used to explain Japan. This is not to suggest that everyone accepted this nativist form of Shinto as a time-honored Japanese tradition. Since 1868, as before, critical observers have been sensitive to the politics of this seemingly apolitical Way of the Kami. As early as 1872, Mori Arinori, criticizing “those who believe in the senseless precept of simplicity

Question: What is the indigenous religion of Japan?
Answer: Shinto