Shinto

The religion of Japan Shinto is Japan’s native religious tradition –Dates back to pre-historic times It has no known person or group as its founder. Shinto retains elements of shamanism, contact with nature spirits, and mysterious healing. It has been shaped by foreign influences –Shinto means “way of the kami” Chinese words shen and tao –Shen= divinities –Tao= way

Ritual vs. doctrinal Shinto emphasizes the ritual dimension over the doctrinal Participation in rituals means far more than holding a correct belief Shinto does not concern itself much with theological explanations of the Kami

Kami The Kami are the Japan’s divine ancestors Kami signifies the deities of heaven and earth and the spirits of the shrines were they are worshiped Kami are any people or things that have evoked the wonder of the Japanese Kami includes deities and certain human beings –Emperors, natural objects like mountains and animals Anything outside the ordinary which possessed superior power or which was awe- inspiring was called Kami

Kami The mirror represen ts the kami of the sun

Shinto has no sacred scripture It has authoritative histories that were compiled in the 8 th century by order of the imperial court –The histories contain a mythological account of the origins of Japan See warm-up

Images of Shinto

Torii A torii is the gate to a Shinto shrine and communicates to the viewer that they’ve reached a holy place. Toriis represent the gateway between the physical and spiritual worlds Most shrines are outdoors, amidst and pointing to nature

Torii The Torii is traditionally made in three pieces, three being a sacred number of the Kami.

Kamidana