A torii at Itsukushima Shrine

Shinto (神道 Shintō) (sometimes called Shintoism) is a native religion of Japan and was once its state religion. It involves the worship of kami, which can be translated to mean gods, spirits of nature, or just spiritual presences. Some kami are local and can be regarded as the spirit or genius 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 god (the character can also be read as "kami" in Japanese) and "道" tō meaning Tao ("way" or "path" in a philosophical sense). Thus, Shinto means "the way of the gods." 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. ... A state religion (also called an established church or state church) is a religious body or creed officially endorsed by the state. ... Jump to: navigation, search Kami (神) is the Japanese for god. The word is used to indicate any sort of god, beings of a higher place or belonging to a different sphere of existence. ... Jump to: navigation, search A deity or a god, is a postulated preternatural being, usually, but not always, of significant power, worshipped, thought holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, or respected by human beings. ... Jump to: navigation, search The English word spirit comes from the Latin spiritus, meaning breath. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... In Roman mythology, every man had a genius and every woman a juno (Juno was also the name for the queen of the gods). ... Torii at the Ama-no-Iwato Shrine in Takachiho, Miyazaki Prefecture Amaterasu is a Shinto Sun goddess; she is the mythical ancestress of the royal family of Japan. ... A solar deity is a deity who represents the Sun. ... Japanese writing Kanji 漢字 Kana 仮名 Hiragana 平仮名 Katakana 片仮名 Uses Furigana 振り仮名 Okurigana 送り仮名 Romaji ローマ字 Category Kanji (   漢字[?], literally Han characters) are Chinese characters used in Japanese. ... TAO is an acronym or abbreviation for: Tactics Arena Online Technical account owner The ACE ORB Track at Once Triacetyloleandomycin Additionally, Tao has several meanings: The Chinese character 道 (Pinyin: dào; Wade-Giles: tao⁴), which may refer to: a philosophical concept, see Tao and Taoism. ... Philosophy (from the Greek words philos and sophia meaning love of wisdom) is understood in different ways historically and by different philosophers. ...

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 some remain largely as everyday activities without religious connotations like omikuji (a form of drawing lots). A state religion (also called an established church or state church) is a religious body or creed officially endorsed by the state. ... Tying omikuji at Kasuga Shrine in Nara Omikuji (おみくじ) are random fortunes written on strips of paper at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan. ... Cleromancy, sortilege, casting lots or casting bones is a form of divination in which stuff is thrown randomly on the ground, and the resulting patterns or forms are interpreted to tell the future or make a decision. ...

History

Early History

The earliest origins of Shinto are lost to history, but it seems to have been established by the late Jomon period. A number of theories about the ancestors of today's Japanese people exist. These theories range from hypotheses of migration from central Asia or Indonesia that are accepted by most scholars - to speculation that links the Japanese to the lost tribes of Israel [1]. 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 The Jomon period (Japanese: 縄文時代 jōmon jidai) is the... Jump to: navigation, search This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Lost Ten Tribes, also referenced as the Ten Lost Tribes or the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel, usually refers to the tribes of the ancient Kingdom of Israel that disappear from the Biblical account after the Kingdom of Israel was totally destroyed, enslaved and exiled by ancient Assyria. ...

Most likely, after the arrival of the earliest ancestors of today's Japanese, each tribe and area had its own collection of gods and rituals with no formal relationship between each of the areas. Following the ascendency of the ancestors of today's Imperial family to a position of power among the other groups, their ancestral deities were given prominence over the deities of other groups, though different systems continued to coexist. His Majesty Emperor Akihito of Japan The Emperor of Japan (天皇 tennō) is a constitutionally-recognized symbol of the Japanese nation and the unity of its people. ...

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 Nihonshoki (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 sophistication of the narratives and the introduction of Taoist, Confucian, and Buddhist themes into the narratives were meant to impress the Chinese with the sophistication of the Japanese. The Japanese felt intimidated by the clearly advanced culture of the Chinese and so hoped to produce a work rivaling it. Second, the narratives were meant 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) 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. The Nara period (奈良時代) of the History of Japan covers the years from about AD 710 to 794. ... Kojiki or Furukotofumi (古事記) is the oldest known historical book about the ancient history of Japan. ... Events Ansprand succeeds Aripert as king of the Lombards. ... Nihonshoki (日本書紀) is the second oldest history book about the ancient history of Japan. ... For other uses, see number 720. ... Japanese mythology is an extremely complex system of beliefs. ... TAO is an acronym or abbreviation for: Tactics Arena Online Technical account owner The ACE ORB Track at Once Triacetyloleandomycin Additionally, Tao has several meanings: The Chinese character 道 (Pinyin: dào; Wade-Giles: tao⁴), which may refer to: a philosophical concept, see Tao and Taoism. ... Jump to: navigation, search Confucianism (Chinese: 儒家, Pinyin Rújiā, The School of the Scholars; or, less accurately, 孔教 Kŏng jiào, The Religion of Confucius) is an East Asian ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the early Chinese sage Confucius. ... Jump to: navigation, search A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE... Torii at the Ama-no-Iwato Shrine in Takachiho, Miyazaki Prefecture Amaterasu is a Shinto Sun goddess; she is the mythical ancestress of the royal family of Japan. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Ainu (pronounced , eye-noo, are an ethnic group indigenous to Hokkaido, the northern part of Honshu in Northern Japan, the Kuril Islands, much of Sakhalin, and the southernmost third of the Kamchatka peninsula. ... Jump to: navigation, search Manyoshu (万葉集 ManyōshÅ«, Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves) is the oldest existing, and most highly revered, collection of Japanese poetry, compiled sometime in the Nara or early Heian periods. ...

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 compassionate teachings 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. Jump to: navigation, search Kami (神) is the Japanese for god. The word is used to indicate any sort of god, beings of a higher place or belonging to a different sphere of existence. ... 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 Nihonshoki, 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. ... Jump to: navigation, search Syncretism is the attempt to reconcile disparate, even opposing, beliefs and to meld practices of various schools of thought. ... The Edo period (江戸時代, Edo-jidai) is a division of Japanese history running from 1600 to 1867. ... Kokugaku (国学; lit. ... Motoori Norinaga (本居 宣長 June 21, 1730 - November 5, 1801 ) was a scholar during the time of the Tokugawa Shogunate. ... 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 May 13 - Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. ... 1801 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search In Japanese mythology, Izanami (J:イザナミ 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. ... Jump to: navigation, search Taoists Taijitu The concept of yin and yang (Korean: 음양; Revised: eumyang; McCune-Reischauer: Å­myang; Traditional Chinese: 陰陽; Simplified Chinese: 阴阳; pinyin: ; Vietnamese: Âm-DÆ°Æ¡ng) 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: 明治維新, 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 (神仏分離, 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: 明治維新, 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. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1868 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Kokugaku (国学; lit. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Hokkaido   listen? (北海道 Hokkaidō, literal meaning: North Sea Route, Ainu: Mosir), formerly known as Ezo, is the second largest island of Japan. ... Jump to: navigation, search Korea (Hangul: 한국, Hanguk, used by South Korea; ì¡°ì„ , Joseon, used by North Korea) refers to South Korea (Republic of Korea) and North Korea (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea) together, which were a unified country until 1945. ...

In 1871, a Ministry of Divinities was formed and Shinto shrines were divided into twelve levels with 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. Jump to: navigation, search 1871 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Ise Shrine (Ise-jingū 伊勢神宮; alternately Grand Shrines of Ise or Ise Daijingū 伊勢大神宮) is a shrine to Shinto goddess Amaterasu ōmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan. ... The Edo period (江戸時代, Edo-jidai) is a division of Japanese history running from 1600 to 1867. ...

At this time, Shinto was directly used in advertising of nationalists popular sentiments, maintaining elements of the "Emperor Worship" cult, venerating the imperial portrait, ritually teaching the "Imperial Prescripts" and the "Imperial Edict of Education", and otherwise fortifying 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. ... Patriotism is a feeling of love and devotion to ones own homeland (patria, the land of ones fathers). ... Jump to: navigation, search Mysticism, from the Greek (mueo, to conceal), is the pursuit of achieving communion with, or conscious awareness of ultimate reality, the divine, spiritual truth, or God through direct, personal experience (intuition or insight) rather than rational thought; the belief in the existence of realities beyond perceptual...

Such processes continued deepening until the Showa Period, before coming to an abrupt halt in August 1945. Somewhat ironically, the invasion by the West so fear at the start of the Meiji era had come at last, due, at least in part, to the radicalization of Japan by its religious solidarity. The Shōwa period (Japanese: 昭和時代, Shōwa-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. ...

Post-War

The era of State Shinto came to an abrupt close with the end of World War II. It appeared that the kami had failed to provide a Divine Wind (kamikaze) to turn back the foreign invaders. Soon after the war, the Emperor issued a statement renouncing his claims to the status of "living god." 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. Jump to: navigation, search World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atom bomb World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a mid-20th-century conflict that... Shinshūkyō (新宗教) is the term used to refer to new religious movements in Japan. ... Religion, sometimes used interchangeably with faith, is commonly defined as belief concerning the supernatural, sacred, or divine, and the practices and institutions associated with such belief. ...

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. 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.

Definition of Shinto

Shinto is a difficult religion to classify. On the one hand, it can be seen as merely a highly sophisticated form of animism and may be regarded as a primal shamanist religion. On the other hand, 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. Jump to: navigation, search Animism has been used in a number of ways since Edward Tylor used it (in 1871) as a label to define the essence of religion as the belief in spirits (i. ... Jump to: navigation, search Shamanism refers to the traditional healing and religious practices of northern Asia (e. ... Jump to: navigation, search 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 or any kind of organization to be authoritative. ... Jump to: navigation, search Kami (神) is the Japanese for god. The word is used to indicate any sort of god, beings of a higher place or belonging to a different sphere of existence. ... Prayer is an effort to communicate with God, or to some deity or deities, or another form of spiritual entity, or otherwise, either to offer praise, to make a request, or simply to express ones thoughts and emotions. ... 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. // Pre-History/The Origin of History The earliest polished stone tools in the world. ... The Meiji Restoration (Japanese: 明治維新, 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. ... Exceptionalism is a claim, a pattern of claiming, or an assertion that the subject under discussion is claiming, special exemption to commonly-held relationships or principles. ... The term far-right refers to the relative position a group or person occupies within a political spectrum. ...

Types of Shinto

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.

• Folk Shinto includes the numerous but fragmented folk beliefs in deities and spirits. Practices include divination, spirit possession, and shamanic healing. Some of their practices come from Taoism, Buddhism, or Confucianism, but some come from ancient local traditions.

• 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.

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. ... 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. ... This man in Rhumsiki, Cameroon, tells the future by interpreting the changes in position of various objects as caused by a fresh-water crab. ... 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... Jump to: navigation, search The Yin-Yang or Taiji diagram, often used as a symbol in Taoism. ... Jump to: navigation, search A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE... Jump to: navigation, search Confucianism (Chinese: 儒家, Pinyin Rújiā, The School of the Scholars; or, less accurately, 孔教 Kŏng jiào, The Religion of Confucius) is an East Asian ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the early Chinese sage Confucius. ...

Characteristics of Shinto

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. ... Jump to: navigation, search Crust composition Oxygen 43% Silicon 21% Aluminium 10% Calcium 9% Iron 9% Magnesium 5% Titanium 2% Nickel 0. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Mythology. ... Japanese mythology is an extremely complex system of beliefs. ...

Practice and teaching of Shinto

Tying her omikuji (fortune) at Kasuga Shrine

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 (おみくじ) are random fortunes written on strips of paper at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan. ... Kasuga Shrine The Kasuga Shrine (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", lit. 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", lit. 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. 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 need to reconcile 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.

Jump to: navigation, search The word tradition, comes from the Latin word bimbolimbo which means to hand down or to hand over. ... A family of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in 1997 A family is 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 was the case in the Roman... 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. ...

Sin and impurity

Shinto does not teach that anything is a sin per se. Rather, certain deeds create a kind of ritual impurity that one should want cleansed merely for one's own peace of mind and good fortune, and not because impurity is wrong in and of itself. Evil and wrong deeds are called kegare (literally, "dirtiness"), and the opposite notion is 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 a gratitude and with a reverence for taking life to continue one's own, and it 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, many (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 sign of pride and lack of concern for others. Such an attitude is looked down upon 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 attract ruin for 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 even today. Thus, in modern Japanese companies no action is taken before consensus is reached (even if only superficially) among all parties to a decision. Sin has been a term most usually used in a religious context, and today describes any lack of conformity to the will of God; especially, any willful disregard for the norms revealed by God is a sin. ... Ritual purification is a feature of many religions. ... Jump to: navigation, search Evil is a term describing that which is regarded as morally bad, intrinsically corrupt, wantonly destructive, inhumane, or wicked. ... Jump to: navigation, search Pride logo PRIDE or PRIDE Fighting Championships is a mixed martial arts organization based in Japan. ...

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. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Apollo 11 mission was the first manned lunar landing. ... Look up Blessing on Wiktionary, the free dictionary A blessing (from to bless, Old English bleodsian or bletsian) originally meant sprinkling with blood during the pagan sacrifices, the Blóts (reference: AHD). ... 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 (富士山 Fuji-san, IPA: ) is the highest mountain on the island of Honshu and indeed in all of Japan. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1868 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Meiji Restoration (Japanese: 明治維新, 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. ... Nubian wedding with some international modern touches, near Aswan, Egypt A wedding is a civil or religious ceremony at which the beginning of a marriage is celebrated. ... Jump to: navigation, search A professor giving a lecture at the Helsinki University of Technology A university is an institution of higher education and of research, which grants academic degrees. ... Jump to: navigation, search 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's kami are collectively called Yaoyorozu no Kami (八百万の神), lit. eight million kami. The arcane name of eight million, Yaoyorozu is not the exact number, but the expression of infinite number from the time when the concept of infinity did not exist. While such usage has largely disappeared from the common use, until recently there were small shops often in suburbs that offered everything from perishable items like foods to magazines and newspapers, even occasionally a bicycle or a car, that were each called Yorozu-ya (万屋), lit. 10,000 shop, indicating the wide variety of items it offered.

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 at 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. ... Torii at the Ama-no-Iwato Shrine in Takachiho, Miyazaki Prefecture Amaterasu is a Shinto Sun goddess; she is the mythical ancestress of the royal family of Japan. ... Ise Shrine (Ise-jingū 伊勢神宮; alternately Grand Shrines of Ise or Ise Daijingū 伊勢大神宮) is a shrine to Shinto goddess Amaterasu ōmikami, 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: 明治維新, 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. ... Jump to: navigation, search In Japanese history, a shogun (将軍 shōgun) was the practical ruler of Japan for most of the time from 1192 to the Meiji Era beginning in 1868. ... Jump to: navigation, search Hirohito (April 29, 1901 – January 7, 1989) was the 124th Emperor of Japan who reigned from 1926 to 1989. ... Shin-Nippon kensetsu ni kan suru shōsho (新日本建設に関する詔書, lit. ...

Ema

Ema at a Shinto shrine

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. ... // Pre-History/The Origin of History The earliest polished stone tools in the world. ... Ema at Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine in Kamakura. ... Jump to: navigation, search Thomas Alva Edison Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 – October 18, 1931) was an inventor and businessman who developed many important devices. ...

Cultural effects of Shinto

Shinto has been called "the religion of Japaneseness", 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. It is still very common for Japanese to say, "Itadakimasu" (I humbly partake) before eating, and the Japanese emphasis on proper greetings 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. This Buddhist stela from China, Northern Wei period, was built in the early 6th century. ... Ikebana arrangement Ikebana (Japanese: 生花, literally living flowers) is the Japanese art of flower arrangement, also known as kadō (華道 or 花道)—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 construction, rhythm, and color. ... Jump to: navigation, search Bronze statue of Amida Buddha at Kotokuin in Kamakura (1252 CE) Japanese art covers a wide range of art styles and media, including ancient pottery, sculpture in wood and bronze, ink painting on silk and paper, and a myriad of other types of works of art. ... Jump to: navigation, search Stone lantern amid plants. ... Jump to: navigation, search Sumo (相撲 Sumō, alternatively 大相撲 Ōzumō), or Sumo wrestling, is a competition contact sport wherein two wrestlers or rikishi face off in a circular area. ... Kotodama, words which the eastern cultures believe to have a magical effect on the world. ... Jump to: navigation, search 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... Tenrikyo Headquarters, Tenri Tenrikyo (天理教; 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
• Ise Shrine (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 prefectures of Japan. ... Atsuta Shrine(熱田神宮) is a Japanese shrine in Nagoya. ... Nagoya Castle Nagoya (名古屋市; -shi) is the fourth largest (third largest metropolitan region) and the third most prosperous city in Japan. ... Kusanagi-no-tsurugi (草薙の劍) 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 Kōmei of Japan Emperor Kōmei (孝明天皇) (July 22, 1831 - January 30, 1867) was the 121st imperial ruler of Japan. ... Ise Shrine (Ise-jingū 伊勢神宮; alternately Grand Shrines of Ise or Ise Daijingū 伊勢大神宮) is a shrine to Shinto goddess Amaterasu ōmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan. ... Torii at the Ama-no-Iwato Shrine in Takachiho, Miyazaki Prefecture Amaterasu is a Shinto Sun goddess; she is the mythical ancestress of the royal family of Japan. ... 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. ... Jump to: navigation, search Izumo Taisha (出雲大社; also Izumo no ÅŒyashiro) is one of the most ancient and important of the Shinto shrines in Japan. ... Kasuga Shrine The Kasuga Shrine (春日大社, Kasuga Taisha) is a Shinto shrine in the city of Nara, in Nara Prefecture, Japan. ... Jump to: navigation, search Nara (Japanese: 奈良市, Nara-shi) is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan, near Kyoto. ... Chiba Prefecture (千葉県 Chiba-ken) is located in the Greater Tokyo Area of Honshu Island, Japan. ... Wakayama Prefecture (和歌山県; 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 Mutsuhito Mutsuhito or Mitsuhito (睦仁), the Meiji Emperor (明治天皇, literally wise ruling heaven emperor) (3 November 1852–30 July 1912) was the 122nd Emperor of Japan. ... 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 (栃木県 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) Kamakura (Japanese: 鎌倉市; -shi) is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan. ... Ōita Prefecture (大分県; Ōita-ken) is located on Kyushu Island, Japan. ... Jump to: navigation, search Students at Yasukuni The main building of Yasukuni Shrine The Yasukuni Shrine (literally peaceful nation shrine) is a controversial Shinto shrine located in Tokyo, Japan dedicated to the spirits of dead Japanese soldiers. ...

See also

• culture of Japan
• history of Japan
• Japanese Buddhism
• Japanese mythology
• Japanese nationalism
• jinja (Shinto)
• libation
• oomoto
• religions of Japan
• Shinto music

A Japanese traditional dancer // Japanese culture and language After several waves of migrations from the Asian continent and nearby Pacific islands, followed by heavy importation of culture from Korea and China, the inhabitants of Japan experienced a long period of relative isolation from the outside world. ... // Pre-History/The Origin of History The earliest polished stone tools in the world. ... Japanese Buddhist priest c. ... Japanese mythology is an extremely complex system of beliefs. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... A torii is a gate leading to a jinja. ... A libation is a ritual pouring of a drink as an offering to a god. ... Oomoto (大本, literally foundation), also known as Omoto-kyo (大本教) is a Japanese religion, often categorized as a new Japanese religion and offshoot of Shinto. ... Most Japanese people profess to not believe in any one particular religion. ... Shinto music is ceremonial music for Shinto (神道) 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

• Ema at Wikimedia Commons
• Kokugakuin University Encylopedia of Shinto
• Shinto - a Philosophical Introduction by Timothy Takemoto
• Shinto struggles to find a place in postwar society - a basic introduction to Shinto by Eric Talmadge for the Japan Times
• Emperor, Shinto, Democracy: Japan's Unresolved Questions of Historical Consciousness (ZMag)