Shinto

What is Shinto? A religion in Japan heavily influenced by Chinese religious practices Translates to “The Way of the Kami” Generally practiced in combination with another religion Build shrines for their gods Nature Ancestors Great leaders (who are dead) Kami means nature; they worship the gods and goddesses that reside in nature—Oftentimes you will see white rags tied onto trees around homes of people who practice Shinto. These are their prayers to the gods of nature, especially those in the tree, to show respect and deference to nature The most commonly combined religion with Shinto is Buddhism. This creates a branch of Buddhism called Zen Buddhism which we’ll study later. These shrines are designated as placed for reflection and purification rituals

A Culture embedded: Shinto has become an integral part of Japanese culture Amaterasu is their sun goddess; Japan is nicknamed the Land of the Rising Sun Similar to the Chinese religions: Your actions and thoughts affect those around you When you do or think something ugly, that ugliness reflects on you, your family, and your ancestors Shinto literally translates to “light in the east” which is where the sun rises every morning; The Japanese flag pays homage to Amaterasu because the red disk is supposed to represent a sun

Samurai: the ideal followers of Shinto The Samurai’s job was to protect the emperor (they’re like the Secret Service here in the US) They had to master three areas of the self before they could become Samurai: 1. Complete physical control Master karate and turn their bodies into weapons 2. Complete mental control Master chi or ki Master Haiku 3. Complete control of nature Master flower arrangement After training, they had to swear to protect the emperor with their lives Sepiku They would hand pick boys between the ages of 12 and 14 who showed an aptitude for the discipline associated with being a samurai. Their parents would willingly send them away if the government asked for their sons because it was a source of great honor to have a samurai for a son. The boys would then endure 10 years of “boot camp” and many would wash out. Those that survived and mastered all aspects of being a Samurai were then given the distinctive honor. Chi or ki is considered to be the life force inside of each of us. When mastered, it can make you feel warm on a cold day, can make you rooted to the ground when someone tries to push you over, or even make you appear stronger than you are. You’ve probably heard karate people go hi-yah during their katas. That’s a manifestation of their ki. We could do a demonstration. Haiku is really tough in Japanese. Unlike English, the average Japanese word is 4 syllables. You have to have an enormous vocabulary in order to write a poem with 5,7, 5 syllables in Japanese (mental side) and Haikus are always about nature, hence the mastery of nature Flower arrangement in Japan has strict rules—flowers and colors are loaded with symbolism. The arrangements must achieve spiritual harmony. There are enormous books published about this art in Japan. Sepiku is a practice of suicide taught to all Samurai. Each carried a short blade called a Sepiku blade. If they were in a position where they had been captured and state secrets were in jeopardy, they Samurai would plunge the blade into the middle of his chest and cut down into the bowels in an L shape. This would ensure that he could not be saved by doctors. If he had a buddy with him, the buddy could chop off his head, but only after Sepiku had been completed.

Budding Samurai: Practicing Haiku In the twilight rain these brilliant-hued hibiscus - A lovely sunset. -Matsuo Basho Everything I touch with tenderness, alas, pricks like a bramble. -Kobayashi Issa A mountain village under the piled-up snow the sound of water. -Masaoka Shiki Your turn! Now you get to write three haiku poems of your own. Remember: The first line has 5 syllables, the second has 7, and the third has 5. It must be about nature in some way You will turn these in at the end of the class period A thesaurus is likely going to be your best friend! On the left are three examples from Japanese haiku masters. Now you try! Compose three haiku by the end of the hour and have them ready to turn in