Traditional Religion of Japan: Shintoism

984 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Main religion in japan

Beliefs
Shinto is the traditional religion of Japan. It means “the way of the kami”. Shintoism is mainly focused on beliefs in, and worships of Kami. Kami are spiritual or divine beings. They are sometimes referred to as the ‘gods’ in Shinto. But rather than the powerful and supernatural beings seen in Western religion, Kami is more like a mystical and sacred spirit that exist in the creative forces of nature. Shintoism follows the belief of animism, which is the belief that natural, material objects possess souls. These sacred spirits, called Kami are able to take the form of different things in nature. Kami not only exists as spiritual beings, but also takes the form of plants and animals, mountains and seas, and all natural phenomena.
In contrast to many other religions, Shintoism does not have a formalized system of rules or regulations, or official moral principles. This is also what makes Shintoism so unique and different to many other religions.
In Shintoism, purity is very important. Shintoism follows the belief that no human is perfect. They believe that all humans are born pure on the inside. Things that make humans impure are tsumi, which is pollution or sin. Shinto followers believe that the ones who cause impurity are evil spirits, and they are the ones who cause evil doings in the world.

Myths and other stories
There are several deities that appear in several stories, all having their own special and significant role. The Shinto creation story tells of two main deities, Izanagi and Izanami. As Izanagi and Izanami stood on the floating bridge of heaven, they thrusted a jeweled spear into the ocean. As the spear touched the water, it created an island called Onogoro, which was the mainland of Japan. Izanagi and Izan...

... middle of paper ...

...tural powers.
Shinto followers believe that the waterfall is the home of the mountain kami spirits, or gods. Many also believe that the Nachi Waterfall is the central part of all supernatural power and kami in the Kumano Mountain. Near the base of the water, the Kumano Nachi Grand shrine was built in order to worship the local kami. Ancient legends of Shinto also describe how kami from all over Japan would come to the Nachi Waterfall to purify themsleves every year.

Yoshino Mikumari Shrine

Yoshino Mikumari Shrine is a Shinto shrine located at the top of Yoshino Mountain. This Shrine is dedicated to Ameno Mikumari, a female Deity of water. Her name Mikumari sounds similar to the word ‘mikomori’ which means pregnant in Japanese, so she is very well known for safe childbirth. It is believed that she will bestow fertility and easy delivery on those that pray to her.

Show More
Related

  • Shinto The Way Home Summary

    943 Words  | 2 Pages

    Analysis: Shinto: The Way Home’s organization is quite useful because it moves in chronological order and it leads the reader in a way that allows for understanding the most unrelatable Ideas of Shintoism. The book uses many Japanese terms and names that may lead confusion for the audience as they have to learn the vocabulary to understand many of the statement Kasulis uses. Kasulis also lack an argument through most of this work and he seems to focus on supplying information as accurately as possible. The author discusses a variety information pertaining to Shintoism making it useful

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Great Pilgrimage

    1179 Words  | 3 Pages

    In 1785, a Christ Child was said to have appeared. A shepherd boy from the village of Tayankani played with the child, but the child disappeared. The child was believed to have disappeared into a rock that was left with his imprint. This is the story behind the pilgrimage to the rock, but those of our community don’t pay much attention to it. Their purpose in the event is to ‘honor’ their supernatural beings. They pay homage to Rit’i (the snow), Taytakuna (Fathers), and the great Apus (Lord Mountains).

    Read More

  • The Similarities Between The Iroquois And Babylonian Creation Myth

    783 Words  | 2 Pages

    Creation myths are made to explain how the Earth was created and to introduce information on the relationship a group has with their creator. In both Iroquois and Babylonian creation myths, the gods do not find the Earth below as their first priority. In the Iroquois myth, the gods only help out the Earth when they are needed, but in the Babylonian myth, humans have more of a relationship with gods as the god that created Earth is willing to go beyond what is needed to help better the human experience on Earth.

    Read More

  • The Guardian King Fudo Myo-o: The Immovable One

    1671 Words  | 4 Pages

    Image and Text.” Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 33.2 (2006): 297-317. Jstor. 12 Oct 2011.

    Read More

  • How Is The Hawaiian Mythology In Hawaiian Mythology

    1105 Words  | 3 Pages

    Christianity has been present in Hawaii for many decades replacing its former native religion. Christianity is a monotheistic religion which consists of only one god, Jesus Christ. He is believed to be the originator of everything living and non-living. However, Hawaiian mythology is polytheistic; worshipping more than one god. Hawaiian’s believed in many gods and spirits who’ve existed in every aspect of nature. The most prominent deities are Lono, Ku, Kanaloa, and Kāne, the creators of all that exists. Martha Beckwith states, “The Hawaiians worshiped nature gods and these gods entered to a greater or less extent into all the affairs of daily life…” (2). Hawaiian mythology has a more unique way of incorporating itself in different forms into all facets of daily life in the past.

    Read More

  • The Zuni Indians Live, Today

    1760 Words  | 4 Pages

    The afterlife of the Zuñi is spent with the Kachinas. The Zuñi believe that their recently dead will join with the past dead, their spirits, known as Kachinas. The believe that this is to happen at the bottom of a nearby lake where their deceased will lead a life of singing and dancing and that they will, in their time in the afterworld, bring rain to the living Zuñi people that are still among the living. (Page 340; Cultural Anthropology: 14th Edition; Ember). The desire for rain was the predominant theme in Zuni ritual. Water imagery was plentiful. (Arizona Rocks Tours). Following death, the name of the deceased ceases to be used, except for rain priests, whose names are invoked by extant members to bring rain. (Countries and their Cultures).

    Read More

  • Using the Past to Confronfront Important Issues: Artist Hiroshi Sugimoto

    875 Words  | 2 Pages

    The site consists of three parts, the Worship Hall, the Main Sanctuary, and the Rock Chamber. One takes a journey through the shrine. The massive rock slab is where the local kami would visit. What is known as the “stairway of light” connects the celestial and earthbound realms. Once one reaches the bottom of the stairwell, they are in the chamber that represents ancient times.

    Read More

  • Shintoism in History

    873 Words  | 2 Pages

    Shintoism has no founder ,and the history behind the technicalities of the rise of Shinto are rather obscure. Experts don't agree as to when Shinto became a unified religion more than just a label to give to the different faiths of Japan. Before the arrival of Buddhism, Shinto referred to the many local cults of the prehistoric Japanese people. These people were animists; devoted to the worship of nature and spirits. These spirits were the Kami; found in living things, nonliving things and natural phenomena. The early Japanese created a spiritual world—and rituals and stories to accompany it—that seemingly gave them control of their lives. It wasn't considered a religion at those times, early Japanese people regarded their faith as a commonality as a part of the natural world. The realms of Earth and the supernatural were closely integrated into each other for them. (“Religions”)

    Read More

  • Shinto And Shinto Religion

    1040 Words  | 3 Pages

    The religion of the Japanese people is called Shinto. Shinto translates to Way of the Spirits. Some say that it is more than a religion, it is a way of life for the Japanese people. It is closely paralleled by the Japanese cultures and way of life (Hirai, 2007). Shinto has been a way of practicing faith and living a pure life in Japan for over 2,000 years. Shinto is in every aspect of the Japanese life. For example: ethics, politics, social structure, artistic life, sporting life, and of course spiritual life (Religion, 2017). Nowadays, the people of Japan mix some Shinto and Buddhism in their lives as far as their spiritual beings are concerned. Shinto is a very free religion. There is no God, no commandments, no founder, and no scriptures. Rather than worshiping a God, Shinto followers worship kami, or spiritual energy (Hansen 2007).

    Read More

  • Shintoism In Spirited Away

    1139 Words  | 3 Pages

    There are many regions that entail the belief of a spirit transcending into a place of serenity. One religion that focuses on transcending is Shintoism. Shintoism is a religion of Japanese origin that devotes its belief in spirits of natural forces. This is expressed by the meaning of Shinto, which means “the way of Kami.” A kami is a divine being or spirit in the religion such as the Emperor who was believed to be a sun goddess. In the movie, Spirited Away, Shintoism is expressed by Chihiro finds purity through the use of liminal process. Liminal Process are the steps needed to allow an individual to pass the threshold of the Earthly world to the Spiritual realm. These steps are similar to the way an alcoholic would reach sobriety.

    Read More

  • Spirited Away: Universal Themes

    746 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Shinto, it is believed that all things have a spirit, or kami. Everything in nature, such as rivers, trees, and rocks, all have spirits that should be respected and can be worshipped at shrines. In the film, Chihiro meets Haku, a river spirit, and a radish spirit in the bathhouse, which demonstrates the variety of spirits that exist in Shinto. Bathhouses also have a long history unique to Japan, where they have been known as staples in communities because people can come to interact and relax together. Public bathhouses are not popular in the United States, but can still be found in Japan

    Read More

  • Similarities Between Shinto And Judaism

    1118 Words  | 3 Pages

    The origins of Shinto and Judaism are rich in history, yet it is the steadfast strength of their belief systems that are most fascinating. While the beliefs of most religions will evolve with time, the core beliefs of these two religions seem impervious to the cultural and generational changes in modern times. In fact, their belief systems seem to be the very foundations of which their cultures were originally built upon In exploring the completely diverse beliefs of Shinto and Judaism, an appreciation for the longevity of each is undeniable.

    Read More

  • Myths and Legends of Japan

    656 Words  | 2 Pages

    Japan has many myths believed to be true by the Japanese culture. Such as: "You can tell a person's character from their blood type". The Japanese creation myth starts off with brother and sister gods Izanagi and Izanani. They dipped a spear into the churning sea and when they pulled it out the drops that fell on the water surface became the islands of Japan. Next the sun goddess Amaterasu, was created and was soon sent to heaven to rule over the world. She some time ago left the universe in darkness and chaos. Amaterasu sent her grandson to calm Japan, giving him the sacred mirror, sword, and jewel, which became imperial motifs.

    Read More

  • Princess Mononoke Analysis

    1079 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke is a development of Japanese animation that can be seen as a romantic fable of two characters that were brought together through one cause; however, Miyazaki’s film can be seen as a Japanese cultural production. It is seen as a cultural production because it shows elements of Shinto through the Kami and the use of water for purification, as well as the female stereotype reversal that was quite dominant in the time of the Heian period. The characters in Princess Mononoke interact with the kami (gods or spirits) when they are in sacred sites or areas that assist in the contact. In Princess Mononoke, the mountain is the place where the characters make contact with the kami, which is their Shinto shrine because “originally there was no shrine building; rather, a shrine was simply a sacred precinct set apart in a certain area or around a sacred object such as a tree or stone” (Earhart, 1982, 34-35).

    Read More

  • Shintoism Essay

    519 Words  | 2 Pages

    Shintoism began in 550 A.D. It is an ancient Japanese tradition. Shinto does not have a true founder like the Buddha, Jesus or Muhammad. Also, it has no sacred texts that it refers to. Shinto was not recognized as a religion until the 12 century. It started out more as a philosophy. (World Religions Online) Shinto literally means “the way of the Kami” (Student Resources in Context) or “the way of the Gods”. They believe that all natural things have their own spirituality. They also believe the spiritual powers exist in the natural world. Kami can be found in many natural places for example, animals, mountains, plants, etc. (URI Kids) Although you are able to practice Shintoism, it is not considered evangelical. The Japanese used Shintoism to bring the nation together to help get support for their emperor. Shinto has created many themes for the Japanese people to follow, for instance, creating harmony among the Kami, having a strong relationship with family, love, and reverence for the natural artifacts and processes. (BBC-Religions)

    Read More

More about Traditional Religion of Japan: Shintoism

Open Document