Shintoism in Japan

SHINTO About 4 Million people practice Shinto Shinto – based on respect for forces of NATURE and ANCESTOR worship Shinto is sometimes seen more as a way of life rather than a religion by the Japanese due to its long historical and cultural significance Shinto is a general term of the activities of the Japanese people to worship all the deities of heaven and earth. Established around 500 BCE 

Shintoism, ethnic religion unique to Japan Importance of natural features, ancestors State religion, worshipping the emperor Coexistence with Buddhism

Buddhist and Confucian Influences Buddhism is practiced side by side with the ways called Shinto The Japanese often go to Shinto shrines for life-affirming events and to Buddhist temples for death rites Japanese Confucian scholars likened the li to the way of the kami as a means of social cohesion ©

Founders and History

Place of Origin & Time-frame Shinto is originated from Miyajima, Japan in 593 CE. The religion enlarged in 1168 CE.

Foundation At the time of foundation: The Yamato dynasty consolidated its rule over most of Japan. Divine origins were ascribed to the imperial family. Shinto established itself as an official religion of Japan, along with Buddhism.

Founders & Important Figures The most revered figure in the Shinto religion is: Amaterasu (the daughter of Izanagi & Izanami) She is the goddess of the sun and is said to show people their beauty and potential in life. The flag of Japan is representation of her

Key Beliefs and Practices of Shintoism

Worship and Respect of Ancestors Absolute loyalty to family/ancestors is very important. Tradition and the family are still important. The main celebrations in Shinto relate to birth and marriage, through which family traditions are preserved.

The Four Affirmations   Tradition and the family: Understanding that family is the foundation for preserving traditions Love of nature: Holding nature sacred Ritual purity: Ritual bathing to spiritually and physically cleanse yourselves before entering a shrine to worship the kami. (In addition, festivals are held twice a year to drive out pollutants or impurities.) Worshipping and honoring gods and ancestral spirits

Kinship with Nature Natural beauty and symmetry important in Japan People organize their lives around the seasons Mount Fuji honored as an embodiment of divine power Reverence for nature expressed in the arts ©

Kami

KAMI Shinto believes and tells of the history and lives of the "Kami" (deities). The word "Kami" is generally translated "god" or "gods There are no concepts which compare to the Christian beliefs in the wrath of God or the separation of God from humanity due to sin Natural objects and creatures "food to rivers to rocks."

Kami- ‘high’ or ‘superior’ People of the Shinto religion believe that spirits known as Kami exist everywhere. The Kami can be found in anything from rocks and trees to animals and thunder. Kami can be explained in the story of two deities, Izanagi & Izanami.

KAMI Believers respected the Kami and tried to win their favor through prayer and offerings. The shared beliefs of the followers of Shinto eventually helped unite all of Japan.

Purity

Shinto rituals are composed of : PURITY and POLLUTION. Ritual impurity can come from things such as simply bleeding due to an act of violence. Ritual purity is critical for the appeal to the Kami to be successful.

Importance of Purity Shinto beliefs state that certain deeds, one might term evil, lead the human mind and spirit towards impurity which has negative effects on an individuals fortune and well being. Purity is very important in Shinto and most rituals performed by priest or regular person is to attain a state of ritual purity to appeal to angry or disturbed Kami.

Misogi – Ancient and Modern

Misogi is ritual purification by standing under a waterfall. ©2011 PRENTICE HALL | Pearson Education, Inc. | Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Shrines and Ways of Worship

Shrines More than 100,000 shrines in Japan honoring the kami Greatest number are dedicated to Inari, god of rice Earliest Shinto followers may have worshipped at sacred trees or groves Later shrines complexes are marked by gate frames, walls, or streams with bridges Visitors clap their hands, bow deeply, and try to feel the kami within their hearts ©2011 PRENTICE HALL | Pearson Education, Inc. | Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Shinto Shrines Followers build shrines to specific kami. When entering a shrine, you pass through a tori gate. This gate is the gateway to the gods. It symbolizes leaving the finite world for the infinite world. Inside the shrine, believers wash hands and rinse out mouths to purify themselves. They pray, make requests, make offerings, and perform sacred dances.

Torii A formal gatelike structure that marks a Shinto sacred place or shrine. They come in various colors and are made of various materials. Most torii, however are made of wood, and many are painted orange and black. Torii represents a transition between the finite world and the infinite world of the gods. Akumi Kanbe Shinmeisha (安久美神戸神明社), Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan

World Impact: Rarely seen outside Japan Practised in small groups worldwide Fading religion Japanese-Americans keep Shinto traditions Practices almost extinct Influences modern society