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Shinto (Japanese: 神道) is a native religion of Japan and was once its state religion. It is a form of animism. It involves the worship of kami (神), gods. Some kami are local and can be regarded as the spiritual being/spirit or genius (mythology) of a particular place, but others represent major natural objects and processes, for example, Amaterasu, the Sun goddess. The word Shinto was created by combining two kanji: "神" (shin), meaning gods or spirits (the character can also be read as "kami" in Japanese), and "道" (tō), meaning way or path in a philosophical sense (the same character is used for the Chinese word Dao). As such, Shinto is commonly translated as "the Way of the Gods". Folk religion consists of beliefs, superstitions and cultural practices transmitted from generation to generation. ...
A state religion (also called an official religion, established church or state church) is a religious body or creed officially endorsed by the state. ...
In religion, the term Animism is used in a number of ways. ...
DAO and Dao may refer to: ...
After World War II, Shinto lost its status of state religion; some Shinto practices and teachings, once given a great deal of prominence during the war, are no longer taught nor practiced today, and others remain largely as everyday activities, like omikuji (a form of drawing lots) and Japanese New Year, that few identify with religious connotations. Download high resolution version (796x675, 564 KB) A Japanese torii at Itsukushima Shrine Taken in August 2004 by Dan Smith. ...
Download high resolution version (796x675, 564 KB) A Japanese torii at Itsukushima Shrine Taken in August 2004 by Dan Smith. ...
A famous floating torii at Itsukushima Shrine Gateway to Shinto shrine with torii A torii (Japanese: 鳥居) is a traditional Japanese gate commonly found at the entry to a Shinto shrine. ...
The torii of Itsukushima Shrine, the sites most recognizable landmark, appears to float in the water. ...
History
Early history A number of theories exist about the ancestors of today's Japanese. Most scholars accept there was migration from central Asia and to a lesser extent from Indonesia, though there Shinto first developed. Nationalists claim that it has always existed, back into the mists of the Jomon age. Others maintain that it came about in the Yayoi period as the result of immigrants from China and Korea, who brought agricultural rites and shamanic ceremonies from the continent which took on Japanese forms in the new environment. Some modern scholars now claim that "Shinto" as it is presently understood did not exist in this age at all and should be more properly referred to as 'kami worship'. History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei Yayoi (弥生時代) is an era in Japan from 300...
In the early centuries BCE, each tribe and area had its own collection of gods with no formal relationship between them. However, following the ascendency of the Yamato Kingdom around the third to fifth centuries, the ancestral deities of its Emperor of Japan (Imperial family) were given prominence over others and a narrative made up to justify it. The result was the mythologising of Kojiki (712) in which it was claimed that the imperial line descended directly from the sun-goddess Herself. Another important kingdom, Izumo, was dealt with in a separate cycle within the mythology and its deities incorporated into service of Amaterasu's descendants. A more objective and historical version of events appeared in Nihon Shoki (720), where alternative versions of the same story are given. Kojiki or Furukotofumi (å¤äº‹è¨˜) is the oldest surviving historical book dealing with the ancient history of Japan. ...
Nihonshoki (日本書紀) is the second oldest history book about the ancient history of Japan. ...
Early ceremonies are thought to have been held outside before copses or sacred rocks (Iwakura (Shinto). There was no representation of the kami, for they were conceived as formless and pure. After the arrival of Buddhism in the sixth century, the idea of building 'houses' for the kami arose and shrines were built for the first time. The earliest examples are thought to have been at Izumo (659) and Ise (690).
An important development was the introduction of the Ritsuryo System in the late seventh and early eighth centuries, based on the Chinese system. This established in law the supremacy of the emperor and great nobles, as well as formalising their relationship to major shrines and festivals. Ritsuryo (律令) is the historical law system based on the philosophies of Confucianism and Chinese Legalism in Japan. ...
Even before the arrival of Buddhism, the rituals involved in kami worship had borrowed from Chinese Taoism and Confucianism. Though clan rivalry led to friction and fighting during the introduction of Buddhism, the worship of kami and the teachings of the Buddha soon settled down into coexistence. In fact syncretism between Buddhism and Shinto (神仏集合 (shinbutsushūgō), meaning Shinto-Buddhism synthesis) was to become the dominant feature of Japanese religion as a whole.
Shinto and Buddhism The introductions of writing in the 5th century and Buddhism in the 6th century had a profound impact on the development of a unified system of Shinto beliefs. Within a brief period of time, in the early Nara period, the Kojiki (The Record of Ancient Things, 712) and the Nihon Shoki (The Chronicles of Japan, 720) were written by compiling existing myths and legends into a unified account (see: Japanese mythology). These accounts were written with two purposes in mind. First, the introduction of Taoist, Confucianism (Confucian), and Buddhism (Buddhist) themes into Japanese religion. Second, to shore up support for the legitimacy of the Imperial house, based on its lineage from the Sun Goddess Amaterasu. Much of the area of modern Japan was under only fragmentary control by the Imperial family, and rival ethnic groups (including, perhaps, the ancestors of the Ainu people) continued to war against the encroachment of the Japanese. The mythological anthologies, along with other poetry anthologies like the Manyoshu and others, were all meant to impress others with the worthiness of the Imperial family and their divine mandate to rule.
With the introduction of Buddhism and its rapid adoption by the court, it was necessary to explain the apparent differences between native Japanese beliefs and Buddhist teachings. Indeed, Shinto did not have a name until it became necessary to distinguish it from Buddhism. One explanation saw the Japanese kami as supernatural beings still caught in the cycle of birth and rebirth. The kami are born, live, die, and are reborn like all other beings in the karmic cycle. However, the kami played a special role in protecting Buddhism and allowing its teachings of compassion to flourish. This explanation was later challenged by Kukai, who saw the kami as different embodiments of the Buddhas themselves. For example, he famously linked Amaterasu, Sun Goddess and ancestor of the Imperial family, with Dainichi Nyorai, a central manifestation of the Buddha, whose name is literally "Great Sun Buddha". In his view, the kami were just Buddhas by another name. Amaterasu, one of the central kami in the Shinto faith Look up Kami in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
Painting of Kukai (774-835). ...
Categories: Stub | Buddhist philosophical concepts ...
Buddhism and Shinto coexisted and were amalgamated in the Shinbutsu Shugo and Kukai's syncretic view held wide sway up until the end of the Edo period. At that time, there was a renewed interest in "Japanese studies" (kokugaku), perhaps as a result of the closed country policy. In the 18th century, various Japanese scholars, in particular Motoori Norinaga (1730–1801), tried to tease apart the "real" Shinto from various foreign influences. The attempt was largely unsuccessful; since as early as the Nihon Shoki, parts of the mythology were explicitly borrowed from Chinese doctrines. (For example, the co-creator deities Izanami and Izanagi are explicitly compared to yin and yang.) However, the attempt did set the stage for the arrival of state Shinto, following the Meiji Restoration, when Shinto and Buddhism were separated (Shinbutsu bunri). Shinbutsu Shugo (神仏習合, the kanji stand for Shinto, Buddhism, learn, join together) is called the Japanese fusion of Buddhism and Shinto. ...
Syncretism is the attempt to reconcile disparate, even opposing, beliefs and to meld practices of various schools of thought. ...
The Edo period (Japanese: 江戸時代, Edo-jidai), also called Tokugawa period, is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1867. ...
Kokugaku (国å¦; lit. ...
Motoori Norinaga (Japanese: 本居宣長; 21 June 1730–5 November 1801) was a Japanese philologist and scholar during the Edo period. ...
Events Pope Clement XII elected September 17 - Change of emperor of the Ottoman Empire from Ahmed III (1703-1730) to Mahmud I (1730-1754) Anna Ivanova (Anna I of Russia) became czarina Births April 16 - Henry Clinton, British general (d. ...
The Union Jack, flag of the newly formed United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ...
In Japanese mythology, Izanami (Katakana: イザナミ; Kanji: 伊弉冉尊 or 伊邪那美命, meaning She who invites) is a goddess of both creation and death, as well as the former wife of the god Izanagi. ...
Izanagi is a deity in Japanese mythology and in Shintoism. ...
Taoists Taijitu The concept of yin and yang (Traditional Chinese: 陰陽; Simplified Chinese: 阴阳; Pinyin: yÄ«nyáng; Korean hangul: ìŒì–‘; hanja: 陰陽; revised: eumyang; McCune-Reischauer: Åmyang; Vietnamese: ; Japanese: ; Thai: ) originates in ancient Chinese philosophy and metaphysics, which describes two primal opposing but complementary forces found in all things in the universe. ...
The Meiji Restoration (Japanese: 明治ç¶æ–°, Meiji-ishin), also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to a change in Japans political and social structure. ...
Shinbutsu bunri (神ä»åˆ†é›¢, lit. ...
State Shinto Following the Meiji Restoration, Shinto was made the official religion of Japan, and in 1868 its combination with Buddhism was outlawed. During this period, it was felt by numerous scholars of kokugaku that Shinto was needed in order to unify the country around the Emperor as the process of modernization was undertaken with all possible speed. The psychological shock of the Western "Black Ships" and the subsequent collapse of the shogunate convinced many that the nation needed to band together if it was going to resist being colonized by outside forces. As a result, Shinto was used as a tool for promoting Emperor (and Empire) worship, and Shinto was exported into conquered territories like Hokkaido and Korea. The Meiji Restoration (Japanese: 明治ç¶æ–°, Meiji-ishin), also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to a change in Japans political and social structure. ...
1868 (MDCCCLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Friday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ...
Kokugaku (国å¦; lit. ...
This article is in need of attention. ...
This page is about the Japanese ruler and military rank. ...
For the dog breed, see Hokkaido (dog). ...
Korea (Korean: (ì¡°ì„ or í•œêµ, see below) is a geographical area, civilization, and former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia, bordering China to the northwest and Russia to the northeast, with Japan situated to the southeast across the Japan Sea. ...
In 1871, a Ministry of Divinities was formed and Shinto shrines were divided into twelve levels with the Ise Shrine (dedicated to Amaterasu, and thus symbolic of the legitimacy of the Imperial family) at the peak and small sanctuaries of humble towns at the base. The following year, the ministry was replaced with a new Ministry of Religion, charged with leading instruction in "shushin" (moral courses). This was a major reverse from the Edo period, in which families were registered with Buddhist temples, rather than Shinto shrines. Priests were officially nominated and organized by the state, and they instructed the youth in a form of Shinto theology based on the official history of divinity of Japan's national origins and its Emperor. 1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...
Ise Shrine (Ise-jingÅ« 伊勢神宮; alternately Grand Shrines of Ise or Ise DaijingÅ« 伊勢大神宮) is a shrine to Shinto goddess Amaterasu Åmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan. ...
The Edo period (Japanese: 江戸時代, Edo-jidai), also called Tokugawa period, is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1867. ...
As time went on, Shinto was increasingly used in the advertising of nationalists' popular sentiments. In 1890, the "Imperial Rescript on Education" was passed, and students were required to ritually recite its oath to "offer yourselves courageously to the State" as well as protect the Imperial family. The practice of Emperor worship was also further spread by distributing imperial portraits for esoteric veneration. All of these practices were used to fortify national solidarity through patriotic centralized observance at shrines. This use of Shinto gave to Japanese patriotism a special tint of mysticism and cultural introversion, which became more pronounced as time went on. Nationalism is an ideology that creates and sustains a nation as a concept of a common identity for groups of humans. ...
1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar). ...
The Imperial Rescript on Education (教育勅語 Kyôiku Chokugo) was signed by Emperor Meiji of Japan on October 30, 1890. ...
Patriotism is a feeling of love and devotion to ones own homeland (patria, the land of ones fathers). ...
The Flammarion Woodcut can be taken to illustrate the Gnostics mystical search for spiritual worlds by circumventing the constraints of materialism. ...
Such processes continued deepening until the Showa Period, before coming to an abrupt halt in August 1945. The ShÅwa period (Japanese: æ˜å’Œæ™‚代, ShÅwa-jidai, period of enlightened peace) was the time in Japanese history when Emperor Hirohito reigned over the country, from December 25, 1926 to January 7, 1989. ...
1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ...
Post-war The era of State Shinto came to an abrupt close with the end of World War II. Soon after the war, the Emperor issued a statement renouncing his claims to the status of "living god" (Arahitogami). In the aftermath of the war, most Japanese came to believe that the hubris of Empire had led to their downfall. Lust for foreign territory blinded their leaders to the importance of their homeland. In the post-war period, numerous "New Religions" cropped up, many of them ostensibly based on Shinto, but on the whole, Japanese religiosity may have decreased. However, the concept of religion in Japan is a complex one. A survey conducted in the mid-70's indicated that of those participants who claimed not to believe in religion, one-third had a Buddhist or Shinto altar in their home, and about one quarter carried an o-mamori (an amulet to gain protection by kami) on their person. Following the war, Shinto has, for the most part, persisted with less importance placed on mythology or the divine mandate of the Imperial family. Instead, shrines tend to focus on helping ordinary people gain better fortunes for themselves through maintaining good relations with their ancestors and other kami. Post-war, the number of Japanese citizens identifying their religious beliefs as Shinto has declined a good deal, yet the general practice of Shinto rituals has not decreased accordingly, and many practices have persisted as general cultural beliefs (such as ancestor worship, which is still very popular), superstitions, and community matsuri（祭） - focusing more on religious practices and items than principles. The explanation generally given for this anomaly is that, following the demise of State Shinto, Shinto has reverted to its more traditional position as a folk religion which is culturally ingrained, rather than enforced. In any case, Shinto and its values continue to be an important component of the Japanese cultural mindset. Combatants Allies: Soviet Union, United Kingdom, France/Free France, United States, Canada, China, India, Australia, Poland, New Zealand, South Africa, Greece, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, Bulgaria, Finland, Romania, Hungary, Burma, Slovakia Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8...
Shin-Nippon kensetsu ni kan suru shōsho (新日本建設に関する詔書, lit. ...
Arahitogami (ç¾äººç¥ž) is a Japanese word, meaning a god who is a human being. ...
ShinshūkyŠ) are new religious movements in Japan. ...
Religiosity is a comprehensive sociological term used to refer to the numerous aspects of religious activity, dedication, and belief. ...
Japanese Buddhist priest c. ...
A study-dedicated Omamori. ...
An amulet from the Black Pullet grimoire An amulet (from Latin amuletum, meaning A means of protection) or a talisman (from Arabic tilasm, ultimately from Greek telesma or from the Greek word talein wich means to initiate into the mysteries. ...
Amaterasu, one of the central kami in the Shinto faith Look up Kami in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
Amaterasu, one of the central kami in the Shinto faith Look up Kami in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
Stalls selling food or toys are a familiar sight at festivals throughout Japan. ...
Definition Shinto can be seen as a form of animism and may be regarded as a variety of shamanist religion. Shinto beliefs and ways of thinking are deeply embedded in the subconscious fabric of modern Japanese society. The afterlife is not a primary concern in Shinto, and much more emphasis is placed on fitting into this world, instead of preparing for the next. Shinto has no binding set of dogma, no holiest place for worshippers, no person or kami deemed holiest, and no defined set of prayers. Instead, Shinto is a collection of rituals and methods meant to mediate the relations of living humans to kami. These practices have originated organically in Japan over a span of many centuries and have been influenced by Japan's contact with the religions of other nations, especially China. Notice, for example, that the word Shinto is itself of Chinese origin and that much of the codification of Shinto mythology was done with the explicit aim of answering Chinese cultural influence. Conversely, Shinto had and continues to have an impact on the practice of other religions within Japan. In particular, one could even make a case for discussing it under the heading of Japanese Buddhism, since these two religions have exercised a profound influence on each other throughout Japanese history. Further, the Japanese "New religions" that have emerged since the end of the Second World War have also shown a clear Shinto influence. In religion, the term Animism is used in a number of ways. ...
A shaman doctor of Kyzyl. ...
The afterlife (or life after death) is a generic term referring to a continuation of existence, typically spiritual and experiential, beyond this world, or after death. ...
Dogma (the plural is either dogmata or dogmas) is belief or doctrine held by a religion, ideology or any kind of organization to be authoritative and not to be disputed or doubted. ...
Amaterasu, one of the central kami in the Shinto faith Look up Kami in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
Maria Magdalene in prayer. ...
Japanese Buddhist priest c. ...
Most Japanese people profess to not believe in any one particular religion. ...
Some feel Shinto was used as a legitimising ideology during the militaristic phase of Japanese history following the Meiji Restoration. Because Shinto has no absolute source of authority, some feel what was a natural expression of the beliefs of the people was hijacked by radical Nationalists, who desired to unify the Japanese people against the "inferior" people in other nations. Others wonder if the emphasis Shinto places on Japanese exceptionalism made such developments inevitable. Even today, some far right factions within Japanese society want to see a greater emphasis placed on Shinto and increased reverence shown to the Emperor as part of a project to restore Japan to its "rightful place" as the leading nation of the world. However, for most Japanese, Shinto is not about expressing disdain for other nations but expressing one's own love of the natural landscape of Japan and the people and spirits that reside within it. The written history of Japan began with brief appearances in Chinese history texts from the first century CE. However, archaeological research indicates that people were living on the islands of Japan as early as the upper paleolithic period. ...
The Meiji Restoration (Japanese: 明治ç¶æ–°, Meiji-ishin), also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to a change in Japans political and social structure. ...
Nationalism is an ideology that creates and sustains a nation as a concept of a common identity for groups of humans. ...
To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into far right. ...
Types In order to distinguish between these different focuses of emphasis within Shinto, many feel it is important to separate Shinto into four related types of Shinto expression. - Shrine Shinto is the oldest and most prevalent of the Shinto types. It has always been a part of Japan's history and constitutes the main current of Shinto tradition.
- Sect Shinto is comprised of thirteen groups formed during the 19th century. They do not have shrines, but conduct religious activities in meeting halls. Shinto sects include the mountain-worship sects, who focus on worshipping mountains like Mt. Fuji, faith-healing sects, purification sects, Confucian sects, and Revival Shinto sects. Konkokyo,Tenrikyo,Kurozumikyo,although operating separately from modern Shinto, is considered to be a form of Sect Shinto.
- State Shinto was the result of the Meiji dynasty's restoration and the downfall of the shogunate. The Meiji attempted to purify Shinto by abolishing many Buddhist and Confucian ideals; also, the emperor was once again considered divine. After Japan's defeat in World War II, State Shinto was abolished and the emperor was forced to renounce his divine right.
- Wiccan Shinto Is a new form of Shinto Sect that introduces a form of wiccan ritualism to the form of Shinto. [citation needed]Instead of the major Shinto practices and aspect, Wiccan Shinto derives it rituals and practices in mostly a Celtic way, but while worshipping the Kami of Shinto. This form of Shinto is a newer sect that has started in the United States. [citation needed]
Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Mount Fuji (富士山 Fuji-san, IPA: [ɸuʝisaɴ]) is the highest mountain on the island of Honshu and indeed in all of Japan. ...
Spiritual healing redirects here. ...
Categories: Move to Wiktionary | Stub | Chemistry ...
Confucianism (儒家 Pinyin: rújiā The School of the Scholars), sometimes translated as the School of Literati, is an East Asian ethical, religious and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of Confucius. ...
Konkokyo is a relatively new religion of Japanese origin. ...
Tenrikyo Headquarters, Tenri Tenrikyo (天ç†æ•™; TenrikyÅ, lit. ...
KurozumikyÅ (é»’ä½æ•™), literally the Teachings of Kurozumi, is a Japanese New Religion largely derived from Shinto roots and founded in 1846. ...
This article is about the religious practice of divination. ...
Spiritual possession is a concept of many religions and tales, where it is believed that a demon may take temporary control of a human body, resulting in noticeable changes in behaviour. ...
The shaman is an intellectual and spiritual figure who is regarded as possessing power and influence on other peoples in the tribe and performs several functions, primarily that of a healer ( medicine man). The shaman provides medical care, and serves other community needs during crisis times, via supernatural means (means...
Taoism (sometimes written as Daoism) is the English name for: (a) a philosophical school based on the texts the Dao De Jing (ascribed to Laozi) and the Zhuangzi. ...
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy focusing on the teachings of the Buddha ÅšÄkyamuni (SiddhÄrtha Gautama). ...
Confucianist temple Thian Hock Keng in Singapore Confucianism (Chinese: å„’å¦, Pinyin: Rúxué‚ [ ] , literally The School of the Scholars; or, less accurately, å”æ•™ KÅng jià o, The Religion of Confucius) is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the early Chinese sage Confucius. ...
This page is about the Japanese ruler and military rank. ...
Characteristics
 Torii at Itsukushima Shrine The most immediately striking theme in the Shinto religion is a great love and reverence for nature. Thus, a waterfall, the moon, or just an oddly shaped rock might come to be regarded as a kami; so might charismatic persons or more abstract entities like growth and fertility. As time went by, the original nature-worshipping roots of the religion, while never lost entirely, became attenuated and the kami took on more reified and anthropomorphic forms, with a formidable corpus of myth attached to them. (See also: Japanese mythology.) The kami, though, are not transcendent deities in the usual Western and Indian sense of the word - although divine, they are close to us; they inhabit the same world as we do, make the same mistakes as we do, and feel and think the same way as we do. Those who died would automatically be added to the rank of kami regardless of their human doings. (Though it is thought that one can become a ghost under certain circumstances involving unsettled disputes in life.) Belief is not a central aspect in Shinto, and proper observation of ritual is more important than whether one "truly believes" in the ritual. Thus, even those believing other religions may be venerated as kami after death, if there are Shinto believers who wish them to be. Torii at Itsukushima Shrine, Hiroshima prefecture, Japan I took this photograph and contribute it to the public domain. ...
Torii at Itsukushima Shrine, Hiroshima prefecture, Japan I took this photograph and contribute it to the public domain. ...
Bulk composition of the moons mantle and crust estimated, weight percent Oxygen 42. ...
ASIMO is an anthropomorphic robot created in 2000 by Honda. ...
// The word mythology (Greek: μυθολογία, from μυθος mythos, a story or legend, and λογος logos, an account or speech) literally means the (oral) retelling of myths – stories that a particular culture believes to be true and that use supernatural events or characters to explain the nature of the universe and humanity. ...
Japanese mythology is an extremely complex system of beliefs. ...
Practices and teachings Kasuga Shrine Shinto Shrine Nara, Nara Nara prefecture Kansai Honshu Japan UNESCO World Heritage Site Fortune-telling Omikuji I took this photograph and contribute it to the public domain. ...
Kasuga Shrine Shinto Shrine Nara, Nara Nara prefecture Kansai Honshu Japan UNESCO World Heritage Site Fortune-telling Omikuji I took this photograph and contribute it to the public domain. ...
Tying omikuji at Kasuga Shrine in Nara Omikuji (ãŠã¿ãã˜) are random fortunes written on strips of paper at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan. ...
Kasuga Shrine The Kasuga Shrine (Japanese: 春日大社, Kasuga-taisha) is a Shinto shrine in the city of Nara, in Nara Prefecture, Japan. ...
Afterlife Unlike many religions, one does not need to publicly profess belief in Shinto to be a Shintoist. Whenever a child is born in Japan, a local Shinto shrine adds the child's name to a list kept at the shrine and declares him or her "Ujiko", literally named child. After death an "Ujiko" becomes an "Ujigami"; literally, named kami. One may choose to have one's name added to another list when moving and then be listed at both places. Names can be added to the list without consent and regardless of the beliefs of the person added to the list. However, this is not considered an imposition of belief, but a sign of the welcome of the area kami, with the promise of addition to the pantheon of kami after death. Those children who die before addition to the list are called "Mizuko", literally water child, and believed to cause troubles and plagues. "Mizuko" are often worshipped in a Shinto shrine dedicated to stilling their anger and sadness. These shrines have become more popular with the growth of abortion in modern Japan[citation needed]. A torii is a gate leading to a jinja. ...
Because Shinto has co-existed with Buddhism for well over a millennium, it is very difficult to disentangle Shinto and Buddhist beliefs about the world. One might say that where Buddhism emphasizes the afterlife and ending the cycle of rebirths; Shinto emphasizes this life and finding happiness within it. Though Buddhism and Shinto have very different perspectives on the world, most Japanese do not see any challenge in reconciling these two very different religions, and practice both. Thus it is common for people to practice Shinto in life yet have a Buddhist funeral. Their different perspectives on the afterlife are seen as complementing each other, and frequently the ritual practice of one will have an origin in the other. // Rebirth in the context of other religions and other Buddhist beliefs One of the features that distinguishes the Middle Eastern religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) from the Indian religions (most notably Hinduism and Buddhism) is the view of life and death. ...
Four affirmations Though Shinto has no absolute commandments for its adherents outside of living "a simple and harmonious life with nature and people", there are said to be "Four Affirmations" of the Shinto spirit: - Tradition and the family: The family is seen as the main mechanism by which traditions are preserved. Their main celebrations relate to birth and marriage.
- Love of nature: Nature is sacred; to be in contact with nature is to be close to the kami. Natural objects are worshipped as containing sacred spirits.
- Physical cleanliness: Followers of Shinto take baths, wash their hands, and rinse out their mouth often.
- "Matsuri": Any festival dedicated to the Kami, of which there are many each year.
The word tradition, comes from the Latin word traditio which means to hand down or to hand over. ...
A family of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in 1997 A family consists of a domestic group of people (or a number of domestic groups), typically affiliated by birth or marriage, or by comparable legal relationships — including domestic partnership, adoption, surname and (in some cases) ownership (as occurred in the Roman Empire). ...
The deepest visible-light image of the universe, the Hubble Ultra Deep Field. ...
Stalls selling food or toys are a familiar sight at festivals throughout Japan. ...
Impurity Shinto teaches that certain deeds create a kind of ritual impurity that one should want cleansed for one's own peace of mind and good fortune, not because impurity is wrong in and of itself. Wrong deeds are called kegare (literally, "dirtiness"), opposed to kiyome (purity). Normal days are called ke (day), and festive days are called hare (sunny, or simply good). Killing living beings should be done with reverence for taking a life to continue one's own, and should be kept to a minimum. Modern Japanese continue to place great emphasis on the importance of aisatsu, or ritual phrases and greetings. Before eating, most (though not all) Japanese say "itadakimasu" ("I will humbly receive [this food]") in order to show proper thankfulness to the preparer of the meal in particular and more generally to all those living things that lost their lives to make the meal. Failure to show proper respect can be seen as a lack of concern for others, looked down on because it is believed to create problems for all. Those who fail to take into account the feelings of other people and kami will only bring ruin on themselves. The worst expression of such an attitude is the taking of another's life for personal advancement or enjoyment. Those killed without being shown gratitude for their sacrifice will hold "urami" (a grudge) and become aragami, a powerful and evil kami that seeks revenge. This same emphasis on the need for cooperation and collaboration can be seen throughout Japanese culture today. Ritual purification is a feature of many religions. ...
Purification Purification rites are a vital part of Shinto. These may serve to placate any restive kami, for instance when their shrine had to be relocated. Such ceremonies have also been adapted to modern life. For example, a ceremony was held in 1969 to hallow the Apollo 11 mission to the moon, new buildings made in Japan are frequently blessed by a Shinto priest during the groundbreaking ceremony, and many cars made in Japan have been blessed as part of the assembly process. A more personal purification rite is the purification by water. This may involve standing beneath a waterfall or performing ritual ablutions in a river-mouth or in the sea. These two forms of purification are often referred to as harae (祓). A third form of purification is avoidance, that is, the taboo placed on certain persons or acts. For example, women were not allowed to climb Mount Fuji until 1868, in the era of the Meiji Restoration. Although this aspect has decreased in recent years, religious Japanese will not use an inauspicious word like "cut" at a wedding, nor will they attend a wedding if they have recently been bereaved. Ritual purification is a feature of many religions. ...
Apollo 11 was the fifth human spaceflight of the Apollo program, the third human voyage to the moon, and the first manned mission to land on the Moon. ...
Look up blessing in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
Ablution may refer to the practice of removing sins or diseases through the use of ritual washing, or the practice of using ritual washing as one part of a ceremony to remove sin or disease. ...
Harae (祓) is the general term for rituals of purification in Shinto. ...
A taboo is a strong social prohibition (or ban) relating to any area of human activity or social custom declared as sacred and forbidden; breaking of the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society. ...
Mount Fuji , IPA: ) is the highest mountain in Japan. ...
1868 (MDCCCLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Friday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ...
The Meiji Restoration (Japanese: 明治ç¶æ–°, Meiji-ishin), also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to a change in Japans political and social structure. ...
 Gateway to Shinto shrine with torii gate Shinto shrine, showing torii gate. ...
Shinto shrine, showing torii gate. ...
Shrines The principal worship of kami is done at public shrines, although home worship at small private shrines (sometimes only a high shelf with a few ritual objects) is also common. It is also possible to worship objects or people while they exist. While a few of the public shrines are elaborate structures, most are small buildings in the characteristic Japanese architectural style. Shrines are commonly fronted by a distinctive Japanese gate (torii) made of two uprights and two crossbars. These gates are there as a part of the barrier to separate our living world and the world the kami live in. There are often two guardian animals placed at each side of the gate and they serve to protect the entrance. There are well over 100,000 of these shrines in operation today, each with its retinue of Shinto priests. Shinto priests often wear a ceremonial robe called a jo-e. Kami are invoked at such important ceremonies as weddings and entry into university. The kami are commonly petitioned for quite earthly benefits; a child, a promotion, a happier life. While one may wish for ill bidding on others, this is believed to be possible only if the target has committed wrongs first, or if one is willing to offer one's life. Though Shinto is popular for these occasions, when it comes to funerals most Japanese turn to Buddhist ceremonies, since the emphasis in Shinto is on this life and not the next. Almost all festivals (matsuri) in Japan are hosted by local Shinto shrines and these festivals are open to all those that wish to attend. While these could be said to be religious events, Japanese do not regard these events as religious since everyone can attend, regardless of personal beliefs. A torii is a gate leading to a jinja. ...
A famous floating torii at Itsukushima Shrine Gateway to Shinto shrine with torii A torii (Japanese: 鳥居) is a traditional Japanese gate commonly found at the entry to a Shinto shrine. ...
The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...
Representation of a university class, 1350s. ...
Underwater funeral in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea A funeral is a ceremony marking a persons death. ...
Stalls selling food or toys are a familiar sight at festivals throughout Japan. ...
Gods Shinto teaches that everything contains a kami (god), every rock, every squirrel, every living and nonliving thing. There is also a main kami for all groups of thing, for instance, there is a kami within a rhino, and there is also a main kami residing over all the rhinos of the world. kami are also not immortal, with the exception of Amaterasu, Suusano, and Tsukiyomi. these three were born from parts of Izanagi-no-Mikoto, one the original kami, and rule parts of the earth and things that will last forever. Amaterasu rules over heaven and the sun, Suusano rules the sea and storms, Tsukiyomi rules over the land and the moon.
Shinto's kami are collectively called Yaoyorozu no Kami (八百万の神), a traditional expression literally meaning "eight million kami". The arcane name of eight million, Yaoyorozu, is not the exact number, but the concept of an infinite number did not exist at that time.
The most widely worshipped of all kami is the sun-goddess Amaterasu. However, Japanese do not specifically worship Her or invoke her name to ask for help. Her main shrine is the Grand Shrine of Ise, but many lesser shrines are dedicated to Her. Within the shrine, She is often symbolised by a mirror. Alternatively, the inner sanctum may be empty. This emptiness does not mean non-existence; rather, it symbolizes that everything that one sees through the mirror is the embodiment of Amaterasu and every other kami. The Trundholm sun chariot pulled by a horse is believed to be a sculpture illustrating an important part of Nordic Bronze Age mythology. ...
The Sun goddess emerging out of a cave, bringing sunlight back to the universe. ...
Ise Shrine (Ise-jingÅ« 伊勢神宮; alternately Grand Shrines of Ise or Ise DaijingÅ« 伊勢大神宮) is a shrine to Shinto goddess Amaterasu Åmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan. ...
Until the end of World War II, the Tenno (Emperor) was believed to have been descended from Amaterasu and father of all Japanese, and was therefore a kami on earth (an ikigami or "living kami"); this divine status was popularized during the Meiji Restoration. This did not prevent military governors (Shogun) from usurping power, but the emperor was always seen as the true ruler of Japan, even when his rule was only nominal. Although Emperor Hirohito renounced his divine status in 1946 under American pressure (Ningen-sengen), the imperial family remains deeply involved in the Shinto ritual that unifies the Japanese nation symbolically. Because Shinto doesn't require a declaration or an enforcement to be worshipped, which is actually "unharmonious" and is something to be avoided, this declaration, while serving political reasons, is religiously meaningless and merely means that the state enforcement has ended. His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Akihito of Japan The Emperor of Japan (天皇, tennō) is Japans titular head of state and the head of the Japanese imperial family. ...
The Meiji Restoration (Japanese: 明治ç¶æ–°, Meiji-ishin), also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to a change in Japans political and social structure. ...
In Japanese history, a shogun (å°†è» shÅgun) was the practical ruler of Japan for most of the time from 1192 to the Meiji Era beginning in 1868. ...
Hirohito ) (April 29, 1901 – January 7, 1989) was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 1926 to 1989. ...
Shin-Nippon kensetsu ni kan suru shōsho (新日本建設に関する詔書, lit. ...
Ema In medieval times, wealthy people would donate horses to shrines, especially when making a request of the god of the shrine (for example, when praying for victory in battle). For smaller favors, giving a picture of a horse became customary, and these ema (絵馬) are popular today. The visitor to a shrine purchases a wooden tablet with a likeness of a horse, or nowadays, something else (a snake, an arrow, even a portrait of Thomas Edison), writes a wish or prayer on the tablet, and hangs it at the shrine. In some cases, if the wish comes true, the person hangs another ema at the shrine in gratitude. Download high resolution version (667x1000, 288 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...
Download high resolution version (667x1000, 288 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...
The written history of Japan began with brief appearances in Chinese history texts from the first century CE. However, archaeological research indicates that people were living on the islands of Japan as early as the upper paleolithic period. ...
Ema at Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine in Kamakura. ...
Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 – October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman who developed many devices which greatly influenced life in the 20th century. ...
Cultural effects Shinto has been called "the religion of Japan", and the customs and values of Shinto are inseparable from those of Japanese culture prior to the influx of Chinese religious ideas that occurred in the mid 6th century. Many famously Japanese practices have origins either directly or indirectly rooted in Shinto. For example, it is clear that the Shinto ideal of harmony with nature underlies such typically Japanese arts as flower-arranging (ikebana) and traditional Japanese architecture and garden design. A more explicit link to Shinto is seen in sumo wrestling, where, even in the modern version of the sport, many Shinto-inspired ceremonies must be performed before a bout, such as purifying the wrestling arena by sprinkling it with salt. The Japanese emphasis on proper greetings and respectful phrasings can be seen as a continuation of the ancient Shinto belief in kotodama (words with a magical effect on the world). Many Japanese cultural customs, like using wooden chopsticks and removing shoes before entering a building, have their origin in Shinto beliefs and practices. Also, a number of other Japanese religions, including Tenrikyo, have originated from or been influenced by Shinto. Tenrikyo is a religion of Shinto origin with some Buddhist influence. This Buddhist stela from China, Northern Wei period, was built in the early 6th century. ...
Ikebana arrangement A Japanese hanging scroll and Ikebana Ikebana (Japanese: 生花, literally living flowers) is the Japanese art of flower arrangement, also known as kadÅ (è¯é“ or 花é“)—the way of flowers. In contrast to the decorative form of flower arranging in western countries, the Japanese flower arrangement creates a harmony of linear...
The need to rebuild Japan after World War II proved a great stimulus to Japanese architecture, and contemporary Japanese buildings rank with the finest in the world in terms of technology and formal conception. ...
Stone lantern amid plants. ...
Sumo (相撲 SumÅ), is a competition contact sport where two wrestlers or rikishi face off in a circular area. ...
Kotodama or kototama are words which east Asian cultures believe to have a magical effect on the world. ...
Chopsticks, a pair of small even-length tapered sticks, are the traditional eating utensils of East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, the four chopstick countries) as well as Thailand, where they are now restricted to just soup and noodles since the introduction of Western utensils by King Rama V...
Tenrikyo Headquarters, Tenri Tenrikyo (天ç†æ•™; TenrikyÅ, lit. ...
Important shrines - Main article: List of Shinto shrines
- Atsuta Shrine, Nagoya, Aichi, shrine to the Imperial sword Kusanagi
- Heian Jingu (Kyoto), dedicated to Emperor Kammu and Emperor Kōmei
- The Grand Shrine of Ise (Ise), dedicated to Amaterasu
- Itsukushima Shrine, Hiroshima prefecture
- Iwashimizu Shrine, Yawata, Kyoto
- Izumo Shrine (Izumo)
- Kasuga Shrine, Nara
- Katori Shrine, Chiba Prefecture
- Kumano Shrines, Wakayama Prefecture
- Meiji Shrine (Tokyo), the shrine of Emperor Meiji
- Nikko Toshogu, Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture
- Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine, Kamakura, Kanagawa
- Usa Hachiman Shrine, Oita Prefecture
- Yasukuni Shrine (Tokyo), controversial shrine dedicated to the 'peace of the nation' and seen by some as a symbol of Japan's militaristic past
This is a comprehensive list of major Shinto shrines by country. ...
Atsuta Shrine Atsuta Shrine ) is a Japanese Shinto shrine in Atsuta-ku, Nagoya. ...
Nagoya Castle Nagoya (åå¤å±‹å¸‚; -shi) is the fourth largest (third largest metropolitan region) and the third most prosperous city in Japan. ...
Kusanagi-no-tsurugi (Japanese: è‰è–™ã®å‰£) is a legendary Japanese sword as important to Japans history as Excalibur is to Britains. ...
Categories: Shrines | Stub ...
Emperor Kammu (桓武天皇) (737-806) was the 50th imperial ruler of Japan. ...
Emperor KÅmei of Japan Emperor KÅmei (å明天皇 KÅmei TennÅ) (July 22, 1831 - January 30, 1867) was the 121st imperial ruler of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. ...
Ise Shrine (Ise-jingÅ« 伊勢神宮; alternately Grand Shrines of Ise or Ise DaijingÅ« 伊勢大神宮) is a shrine to Shinto goddess Amaterasu Åmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan. ...
The Sun goddess emerging out of a cave, bringing sunlight back to the universe. ...
The torii of Itsukushima Shrine, the sites most recognizable landmark, appears to float in the water. ...
Hiroshima Prefecture (広島県 Hiroshima-ken) is located in the Chugoku region on Honshu island, Japan. ...
The Iwashimizu Hachimangu The Iwashimizu Shrine (or Iwashimizu Hachimangu 石清水八幡宮) is a Shinto shrine in the city of Yawata in Kyoto prefecture, Japan. ...
Yawata (八幡市; -shi) is a city located in Kyoto, Japan. ...
Izumo Taisha (出雲大社; also Izumo no Ōyashiro) is one of the most ancient and important of the Shinto shrines in Japan. ...
Kasuga Shrine The Kasuga Shrine (Japanese: 春日大社, Kasuga-taisha) is a Shinto shrine in the city of Nara, in Nara Prefecture, Japan. ...
Nara (Japanese: 奈良市, Nara-shi) is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan, near Kyoto. ...
Chiba Prefecture ) is located in the Greater Tokyo Area of Honshu Island, Japan. ...
Wakayama Prefecture (å’ŒæŒå±±çœŒ; Wakayama-ken) is part of the Kii Peninsula in the Kinki region on Honshu island, Japan. ...
The central sanctuary where the Meiji emperor is enshrined. ...
Emperor Meiji (Mutsuhito) Emperor Meiji (明治天皇, Meiji TennÅ, literally Emperor of Enlightened Rule) (3 November 1852–30 July 1912), also known as Mutsuhito (ç¦ä»), was the 122nd Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. ...
Torii and pagoda at entrance to Toshogu Nikko Toshogu (日光東照宮: Nikkō Tōshōgū) is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa line of shoguns in Japan. ...
This article is about Nikko the city; see Nikko (priest) for the founder of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism. ...
Tochigi Prefecture (æ ƒæœ¨çœŒ Tochigi-ken) is a located in the Kanto region on the island of Honshu, Japan. ...
View down the stairs at Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine Tsurugaoka is a shrine in the city of Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. ...
Crowds of visitors in Kamakura (Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine) Big Buddha at Kotokuin Kamakura (Japanese: 鎌倉市; -shi) is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan, about 50 km south-south-west of Tokyo (to which it is linked by the railway line to Yokosuka). ...
Ōita Prefecture (大分県; Ōita-ken) is located on Kyushu Island, Japan. ...
Students at Yasukuni The main building of Yasukuni Shrine Yasukuni Shrine ) (literally peaceful nation shrine) is a controversial Shinto shrine located in Tokyo, Japan dedicated to the spirits of soldiers who died fighting on behalf of the Japanese emperor. ...
See also Image File history File links Portal. ...
After several waves of immigration from the Asian continent and nearby Pacific islands, followed by a heavy importation of culture from China and Korea, the inhabitants of Japan experienced a long period of relative isolation from the outside world under the Tokugawa shogunate until the arrival of the Black Ships...
The written history of Japan began with brief appearances in Chinese history texts from the first century CE. However, archaeological research indicates that people were living on the islands of Japan as early as the upper paleolithic period. ...
Japanese Buddhist priest c. ...
Japanese mythology is an extremely complex system of beliefs. ...
To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...
A torii is a gate leading to a jinja. ...
Libation scene, Greek red figure cup, c. ...
Oomoto (大本, literally foundation), also known as Omoto-kyo (大本教) or similar Omoto, is a Japanese religion, often categorized as a new Japanese religion and offshoot of Shinto. ...
Most Japanese people do not believe in any one particular religion. ...
Shinto music is ceremonial music for Shinto (神é“) which is the native religion of Japan. ...
References - Littleton, C. Scott (2002). Shinto: Origins, Rituals, Festivals, Spirits, Sacred Places. Oxford University Press, Inc. ISBN 0195218868.
- Ueda, Kenji (1999). "The Concept of Kami". In John Ross Carter (Ed.), The Religious Heritage of Japan: Foundations for Cross-Cultural Understanding in a Religiously Plural World, pp. 65-72. Book East. ISBN ???.
External links Savitri Devi (September 30, 1905 - October 22, 1982) was a Franco-Greek woman who became enamored with Hinduism and National Socialism, linking the Aryan invasion theory to Adolf Hitler, and proclaiming him an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. ...
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