By: Drew Brackett, Austin Frueh, and Jesus Valdez
3-4 million are Shintos No founder No official sacred scriptures No fixed creeds Indigenous religious beliefs and practices of Japan
The word Shinto, which comes from the Chinese shin tao, meaning "the way of kami “ Now is a Japanese indigenous religion Polytheism based on the kami, ancient gods or spirits
new religious movements emerged out of the social classes new religious movements were based mostly on individual religious experiences and aimed at healing diseases or spiritual salvation and unrest of the people
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
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
Ceremonies To appeal to the benevolent treatment and protection Consist of abstinence Offerings Prayers Purification
Traditional family has 2 family altars Shinto, for their tutelary kami and the goddess Amaterasu Omikami Buddhist, for the family ancestors. Pure Shinto families Ceremonies and services in Shinto style
No weekly services 1st and 15th of each month or on festival days Visit shrine at own convenience Some really devoted people visit every morning but it is not required
home of the kami inner sanctuary (most important part shintai ("kami body") or mitama-shiro ("divine spirit's symbol") is in there Usual symbol is a mirror Torii at entrance