SHINTOISM

Shintoism
• Local religion in japan
• Shintoists

• Less than 40% population

• 50% to 80% worship spirits or kami at Shinto
shrines
• Maypractice with other religions such as
Buddhism and Daoism
 Shintoism
• Shinto belief in kami or spirits that can be
found in the NATURE
• Key concept: PURIFICATION
• Ancestorworship is an important aspect of
Shintoism and showing reverence to force of
nature
• Shinto rituals are perform on SHRINES
• BELIEF that “human beings are basically
good and has no concept of original sin”
 SYMBOL
Torii gate
• Made of wood, stone, concrete
or steel
• Represents the transition
between the world of humans
and the world of gods and
goddesses.
• Itis belief to help prepare the
visitors for their interaction
with the spirits by signifying
the sacredness of the location
Historical background

• Prehistoric period
-Animism is evident in the agricultural affairs of the people.
Agricultural rites were celebrated seasonally and all communal
religious activities were focused on object or place believed to be
inhabited by kami or spirit.
-“Story of Creation”
-Narrates that in the beginning there were two two kami:
Izanagi-no-Mikoto(male)
-he went up to heaven after the creative work
on earth
Izanami-no-Mikoto(female)
-left permanently on earth as the queen of the
lower world
 Historical background
Amaterasu-no-Mikoto
-come from the left eye of Izanagi
-goddess of the sun/ ruler of the
plains of High Heaven
-ancestor of the Imperial Family
Izanagi-no-Mikoto
Tsuki-yomi-no-Mikoto Susa-no-Mikoto
-come from the right eye of
Izanagi
-come from the nostrils
-ruler of the world
-ruler of the eight-hundred-
fold tides of the ocean plain
Historical background

Susa-no-Mikoto

Okuni-Nushi-no-Mikoto
-ruler of Izumo and with the help of Sakuna-
Hikona-no-Kami,ordered the cultivation of
the land and taught the knowledge of
medicine, making him popular in the land
Historical background
Amaterasu-no-Oho-Kami

Ninigino-Mikoto *Three sacred treasure

-Yata Mirror
Hiko-Hoho-Demi-no-Mikoto -Clustering-Clouds Sword
-son -Yasaka CurveJewels

Ugaya-Fuki-Ahezu-no-Mikoto

Jimmu Tenno
1ST Emperor of Japan
Historical background

After the prehistoric period

-The kami in some place were gradually associated with
local ruling clans, (uji/ujigami), a clan from Yamato region
claiming that they are descended from Amaterasu & they were
recognized as the imperial household of Japan and cornerstone
of Japanese nationhood. From then, indigenous festivals and
ceremonies became inseparable from government affairs
especially with the emergence of the unified nation-state. These
festivities became known as matsurigoto(affairs of religious
festivals) but retained its meaning to refer to “government”
today.
 Historical background

Shintoism
-The way of the kami
 Shinto came from “Shentao/Shendao”
 Shen
-divine being/kami
 Dao
-the way

-This term are use in order to help distinguish

kami-no-michi(the Japanese Way of the God) from
Butsudo(Buddha-Tao)
 Historical background
• Prince Shotoku (574-622)
-Buddhism was promoted in Japan but it never saw total
conversion of Japanese people from Shintoism to Buddhism.
-Buddhism was absorbed & mixed with local folk
religion(Shintoism)
• Meiji Restoration
-Shintoism was separated with Buddhism
-Buddhism was banned and reorganized
-Shintoism become official state religion
• 1945
-The practice in Shinto ceremonies as a manifestation of patriotism
was abolished after the defeat of Japan.
 Sacred scriptures
-It is not exclusively about Shinto it also contain extensive information
on Buddhism and Confucianism.
-Compilations of ancient myths and traditional teaching
Purpose:
A. POLITICAL
-Establish the supremacy of japan over all countries in
the world
-Establish the political supremacy of Yamato
B. MORAL
-To explain the relationship between the kami and
human beings by establishing that Japanese people
are chosen by the kami
-It also emphasizes purification as both a creative and cleansing act.
-Death is consider as the ultimate impurity.
 Sacred scriptures
A. Kojiki
-Most important book
-Composed of three books
 1st book: the age of kami
-Narrates the mythology
 2nd and 3rd: discuss the imperial lineage
 3rd book: revolts and love stories of successive rulers intertwined in a
song story format
 Establishment of the three orders are reflected on the three books:
Establishment of the order of the universe
Establishment of the order of the humanity
Establishment of the order of the history

-Kojiki is based on the eternal and cyclical world of

mythology
 Sacred scriptures

B. Nihon Shoki/ Nihongi

-It records the decent of the Yamato rulers of Japan from the gods. It
represents a combination of a political purpose with folklores and myths. It
is believe to have been completed around 720 C.E. and have become
significant in the restructuring of Japan by the Yamato rulers, even in the
naming of the country as Nippon. It was presented to the court during the
reign of Emperor Gensho and its considered as Japans first official history
which was completed after 39 years and compiled by Jimmu Tenno’s third
son, Prince Toneri, along numerous bureaucrats and historians. It is
composed of 30 books, the first two of which discuss the “age of kami” while
the remaining books chronicle the event pertaining to the rulers up to the
41st emperor.
 Sacred scriptures
-The stories in the Kojiki and Nihongi provide the
Japanese people with a sense of pride, for these scriptures
narrate how their rulers were descended from the gods, and
how their race was descended from the gods as well. Some
would even interpret that the whole humanity descended from
the two deities (Izanagi and Izanami), thereby creating a sense
of superiority among the Japanese people. In the creation story
the concept of dualism in Shinto is shown as Izanagi as the sky
god, and Izanami as the earth mother, as well aas with
Amaterasu as the benevolent child and her brother Susa-no-
Wo-no-Mikoto as performing evil act. The political legitimacy
this myth provides the ruling families of Japan as well as the
sense of pride it provides the Japanese people have made the
Japanese people develop a strong sense of nationalism
Worship and observance

• Ritualsare perform on shrines which they believe

are the abode of the kami or the spirit
• Shrines are normally found on mountains , rivers ,
trees rocks
• Build shrine dedicated for their DIETIES
 Worship and observance
RITUAL
I.Shinto Rites of Passage
A. Hatsumiyamairi (first shrine visit)
- newborn children are taken by their grandmother to ask
protection from the kami
-ritual takes place on the second day after birth for boy and third
day for a girl
B. Shichi-go-san (Seven-five-three)
-festival observe every 15th of November by boys of five years and
girls of three and seven years of age,who visit the shrine to give
thanks for the protection provided by the kami and to ask for
their healthy growth.
 Worship and observance
RITUAL
I. Shinto Rites of Passage
C. Adult’s Day(seijin shiki)
-observe every 15th of January by the Japanese who have their 20th
birthday the previous year by visiting the shrine to express gratitude
to the kami (20 being the legal age of adulthood in Japan)
D. Wedding Rites
-patterned after the wedding of the Crown Prince Yoshihito and
Princess Sado in 1900
E. Funeral Rites
-since death is considered impure, most Japanese funerals are
Buddhist in nature
-Shintoism’s funeral practice are called SOSAI
 Worship and observance
II. RITUAL PURIFICATION (MDEDITATIVE PRACTICES)
A. Misogi or Ablutions
-The act of washing one’s body part or part of it, usually for religious
purposes
- consider as very ancient ceremonies performed after funeral or
ceremonies
Purpose: to cleanse the body of minor contaminations associated with
the dead
B. Harai or exorcism
- the expulsion of evil spirit from a person or place
- performed usually by priest by swinging a purification wand over the
people and the object to be exorcised
 Worship and observance
II. RITUAL PURIFICATION (MDEDITATIVE PRACTICES)
C. Imi or Abstention
- the act of restraining one’s self from indulging something
- practice performed against impurity
-they offer rice, rice wines, and food to their deities followed by a
presentation of music and dance.
- the most important part of the rituals is the prayer to the
deities of the shrines
 Prayer can be in the form of:
praising of the kami
request for protection
appeal for blessing in their lives
 Worship and observance
Type of Worship
A. At home (kamidana)
-Shintoist place a small altar/ “kami
shelf” inside their houses
 Perform the following rituals
PURIFICATION
Offertory
Clapping their hands to the kami
 Worship and observance
Type of Worship
B. Shinto Shrine(Ceremonial Worship)
-visit to Shinto shrine which detaches a
worshipper from his/her ordinary environment

Steps for the shrine visit:

Must behave respectfully and calmly
Take the ladle at the purification fountain,
rise both hands then transfer some water to
rinse one’s mouth, spit the water beside the
fountain
Throw a coin at the offering box upon
entering, bow, bow deeply twice, clap hands
twice, bow deeply again, use gong and pray
 Worship and observance
Type of Worship
C. Magical Charms And Amulets
A. Mamori
- Most common Japanese
designation for charms
-Provides them with protection
and may include a wide range of
objects
B. Shimpu
-God ticket or sacred ticket
-Refer to the magico-religious
object obtained at the Shinto
shrines
 Worship and observance
Type of Worship
C. Magical Charms And Amulets
-Made of woods, paper and other materials
 Specific uses of charms:
Lover’s charm
-aims to fulfil a lover’s wish
Easy birth charm
Charms for the expurgation of intestinal worms
 Sizes of charms
Private amulets
-small in size and worn by person
Domestic charm
-larger and varies in size and form
 Worship and observance
Type of Worship
D. Seasonal Festival
-Japan celebrate numerous festival called MATSURI since almost every Shrine
has its own festival and held once a year to celebrate shrine Kami, where it can
last for several days.
Example:
Great Purification Festival
-celebrated in shrine all over japan every June to Decdember with priest
waving a cleansing wand over the people who rub paper dolls on their
bodies to symbolize their bodies to dolls then these dolls are thrown
away by the priset.
New Year Festival
-begins on the first day of January and last for several days
 Belief and doctrines
• A. Kami Worship
Motoori Norinaga(Japanese scholar)
 According to him kami is:
Object-birds,beast,trees,plants,seas and mountains
Animals-tiger and wolves
Includes human being with nobility like emperor for ordinary
people they are majestic,worthy and reverence
Things such as thunder and echo
Anything which possessed super power or which was awe-
inspiring
Evil and mysterious things if they are extraordinary and
dreadful they are called kami
Can refer to the gods such as Izanami(earth mother) and
Izanagi(sky father)
Belief and doctrines

Important Kami in Japan

Amaterasu-o-mi-kami Sun goddess;greatest of the Kami;Kami of the Ise
shrine;ancestor of the imperial family
Benten Music and arts
Ebisu Properity;abandoned leech-child of Izanami and Izanagi
Hachiman Archery and war
Izanami Sky god
Izanagi Earth goddess
Susanoo Wind/ storm;Ametrasu’s brother
Tenjin Education
 Belief and doctrines
B. Concept Of Pure And Impurities
A.Blood is regarded as impure
B. Women who menstruate and after child-birth is consider as
impure, they have to be isolated for a definite period of time.
They are prohibited from living together with their family
and share meals. They build house called taya , women will
live on their own
C. Shintoism mainly aimed at the removal of physical or
external pollution, it is important to them to maintain
physical ,external and material purity
D. Illnesses can be listed as sin,since they cause unpleasant
feelings. Thunderbolt is also regarded as a sin as well as
bitten by an insect. Having sexual relationship with ones
parent or ones child and having sexual relations with
animals. And it compensate for committing sins, it is required
to make offering to the deities.
 Belief and doctrines
C. Concept of Death
-Death is consider as the worst form of impurity that
is why they perform ritual bathing after a funeral
ceremony wherein all family members do a ritual
bathing in the river
D. 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 blessing fro the deities
 SUBDIVISIONS

A. Shintoism shrine(Jinja)
-Consider as the purified/traditional type under which the State
and Imperial Shinto
-7th century, Buddhism was intertwined with Shintoism , Buddha
and bodhisattvas were regarded as kami.
-Recognize as the State Religion in 19th century during the Meiji
Restoration, Japan was transformed to modern nation and the said
transformation covered the political, economic, social and religious
aspects. As a result Shintoism became a vehicle for patriotism.
-Japan’s divine origin was also emphasized on Japanese children. The
Japanese people had to attend and serve shrine and consequently
shrines and priests were put under imperial control. However, the defeat
of Japan in World War II brought a major setback on Shinto, yet it
remained to play a significant part in Shinto in general.
 SUBDIVISIONS
B. Sect Shintoism(Kyoha)
-It refers to the 13 government-organized independent sects formed during the
19th century, focusing on the human welfare in this earthly life.
-This type of Shintoism was recognize by the Imperial Government in the late
19th century, referring to the 133 organizes Shintoism. It developed in response
to historical reality, as an administrative way of dealing with the crystallization
of Shinto tradition into organized religious group. These 13 Sect Shinto were
designated by the government as “religion” along with other faiths such as
Buddhism and Confucianism.
-Their place of worship were called “churches” to distinguish them from the
shrines which are under imperial control. Many of the sects were led by women
which is a reflection of women’s prominent role in Japanese religion in ancient
times.
Sect Shinto can be classified into five group:
1. Pure Shinto Sect
2. Confucian Sect
3. Mountain Sect
4. Purification Sect
5. Faith-healing Sect
 SUBDIVISIONS
C. Folk/Popular Shintoism (Minzoku)
-Practice on local shrines and considered to be more ingrained to
the people’s rite of passage.
-This type is often associated with superstition, magic, and
common practices of the Japanese people. It includes traditional
often understood as Japanese folk religion. It is a form of Shinto
worship which does not requires a priest formal shrine, hence it is
also known as Shinto which people practice in their daily lives. It
emphasized on purification rituals and regarded as more personal
or local. It is often practice in connection with growing of crops,
major blessing and at major stages of life, such as birth and
marriage.
 Selected issues
-Shintoism is a religion in Japan that was
able to co-exist with other religions such as
Confucianism and Buddhism. Shintoism got
from Confucianism its system of ethics and the
value of ancestor worship, while treating
Buddhism as dealing with afterlife matter.
Selected issues
A. Vehicle of patriotism

-Patriotism is love for the fatherland

- Japan insisting patriotism through:

Japanese government

-approving topic in ministry of education

B. Shrine visits of prime ministers

-done to show respect to people who died in the service of the emperor.