Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
REGION IV-A – CALABARZON
SCHOOLS DIVISION OFFICE OF SAN PEDRO CITY
CUYAB INTEGRATED NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD RELIGIONS AND BELIEF SYSTEM- GRADE 11

ACTIVITY SHEET- WEEK 14

I. Lesson Content: History, Sacred Scriptures, Worships and Observances Beliefs and Doctrines of Shintoism

II. Most Essential Learning Competencies: Examine the brief history, core teachings, fundamental beliefs, practices, and related issues of
Shintoism

III. Learning Activity:

Daoic Religions: SHINTOISM

A. Introduction
**Use your notebook/fillers in answering the learning tasks.

This learning material was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you know the brief history, core teachings, fundamental beliefs,
practices, and related issues of Shintoism.
At the end of this learning material, you should be able to:
1. Define Shintoism.
2. Explain the core teachings and fundamental beliefs of Shintoism.
3. Examine the Concept of purification and different ways to worship Shintoism.

B. Development
Pretest
Directions: Read and analyze each statement carefully. Choose the letter of the best answer and write it on your notebook.
1. What do you call to the holy book of Shintoism?
A. Kami B. Kojiki C. Quran D. Shinto
2. In which country was Shintoism founded?
A. China B. India C. Japan D. Vietnam
3. What is considered as the most extravagant festival in Japan?
A. New Year Festival B. Great Purification Festival C. Summer Festival D. Spring Festival
4. What is the most common symbol of Shintoism?
A. The Amaterasu B. The Kojiki C. The Kami D. The Torii Gate
5. How do the believers of Shinto practice their religion?
A. They pray at small altars in their home. C. They must pilgrimage to mecca.
B. They attend Churches once a week D. They divide society into castes.

.
SHINTOISM is considered as the very essence of Japanese devotion to unseen spiritual beings and powers. Shintoism espouses the belief that “human
beings are basically good and has no concept of original sin.” Unlike other religions, it has no known founder nor god, and it may be practiced with other
religions such as Buddhism and Daoism.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The term “Shinto” came from “Shentao/Shendao”, shen means divine beings or kami and dao means “the way,” hence Shintoism means “the way of
the kami.” Shinto persisted even when Buddhism and Confucianism were introduced, spread, and became a major religion/philosophy in Japan. During
the Meiji Restoration, Shintoism was organized and became completely separated with Buddhism, which was banned and reorganized. It was then
when Shintoism became the official state religion.

SYMBOLS
The Torii Gate is the most common symbol for Shintoism. It is a sacred gateway supposed to represent a gate upon which a
cock crew on the occasion when Amaterasu emerged from the rock cave and relighted the world.

SACRED SCRIPTURES
➢ Kojiki - It is composed of three books: the first is the age of kami, which narrates the mythology, while the second and third books discuss the imperial
lineage, narrating the events concerning the imperial family up to the death of the thirty-third ruler, Empress Suiko. The third book is concerned mainly
with revolts and love stories of successive rulers intertwined in a song-story format.
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
REGION IV-A – CALABARZON
SCHOOLS DIVISION OFFICE OF SAN PEDRO CITY
CUYAB INTEGRATED NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

➢ Nihon shoki/Nihongi – It records the descent of the Yamato rulers of Japan from the gods. It represents a combination of a political purpose with
folklores and myths.

WORSHIP AND OBSERVANCES

Unlike other religions, Shintoism has no weekly service; instead, people visit shrines at their own convenience.
Proper performances of rites and ceremonies are an important aspect of Shintoism.
They hold most of their rituals at the shrines, which they believe are the abode of the kami or spirits.
Ritual Purification (Meditative Practices) - The Japanese observe the misogi, or ablutions (the act of washing one’s body part or part of it, usually for
religious purposes) which are considered as very ancient ceremonies performed after funeral ceremonies, when all members of the family go into the
water together to cleanse themselves in a purification bath.

TYPES OF WORSHIP
At Home (kamidana) - Shintoists often place a small altar (“kami shelf”) inside their houses and this is where they perform the following rituals:purification;
offertory; clapping their hands to the kami (who, they believe, could see and hear what they are doing); and offering of prayers.
At Shinto Shrine - Also called ceremonial worship, this includes a visit to a Shinto shrine which detaches a worshipper from his or her ordinary
environment. In this type of worship, trees in Shinto shrines, particularly the oldest and most revered ones, have ropes tied to them to signify reverence
to the presence of kami. Magical Charms and Amulets Aside from worshipping the kami at the shrines, one of the main attractions at the shrines is the
sale and distribution of charms or amulets. Shintoists believe that these amulets provide protection and can even be a source of magic.

SEASONAL FESTIVALS
Great Purification Festival, which is celebrated in shrines all over Japan every June and December, with priests waving a cleansing wand over the
people, who rub paper dolls on their bodies to symbolize the transfer of impurities from their bodies to the dolls, then these dolls are thrown away by
the priest.
New Year Festival, considered the most extravagant festival in Japan, which begins on the first day of January and just like other festivals in Japan,
lasts for several days.

BELIEFS AND DOCTRINES

Kami Worship
Shintoism is a religion which revolves around the belief in and worship of kami or spirits.
Here are some of the most important kami in Japan:

Concept of Pure and Impure

Shintoism, unlike other religions, does not have a clear distinction between what is right and what is wrong. However, since its most important
concept is purity, there are acts or things which are considered as evil since they cause or signify impurity.
For example, blood is regarded as impure. Shintoism strongly disapproved of the pollution of blood.

Concept of Death
Death is considered as the worst form of impurity in Shintoism.
When a person dies, his or her body is considered as the most impure thing. That is why they perform ritual bathing after a funeral ceremony
wherein all family members do a ritual bathing in the river.

De/Virtue
The way to appease the kami or the spirits, according to Shinto, is through purification.
Proper observance of rituals is necessary in order to purify oneself and be deserving of the blessings from the deities.
Living in harmony with nature, which is inhabited by the kami or spirits, is encouraged.
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
REGION IV-A – CALABARZON
SCHOOLS DIVISION OFFICE OF SAN PEDRO CITY
CUYAB INTEGRATED NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

IV. Engagement Activity

1. MATCH ME!
Directions: Write the letter of the correct answer from Column B that best matches or describes the given words in Column A.

V. Assimilation

1. Assessment
Directions: Read and analyze each statement carefully. Choose the letter of the best answer and write it on your notebook.

1. How do the believers of Shinto practice their religion?

A. They pray at small altars in their home. C. They must pilgrimage to mecca.
B. They attend Churches once a week. D. They divide society into castes.

2. What do you call to the holy book of Shintoism?

A. Kami B. Kojiki C. Quran D. Shinto

3. In which country was Shintoism founded?

A. China B. India C. Japan D. Vietnam

4. What is most common symbol of Shintoism?

A. The Amaterasu B. The Kojiki C. The Kami D. The Torii Gate

5. What is considered as the most extravagant festival in Japan?

A. New Year Festival C. Summer Festival
B. Great Purification Festival D. Spring Festival

2. Reflection
Write on their notebooks your insights about the lesson.
I understand that_____________________________________________________________________________.
I realized that ________________________________________________________________________________.