Shinto

General Background

Shinto is the earliest religion of Japan. It is a diverse set of traditional beliefs, rituals, ceremonies and approaches to living that shaped Japanese culture and history. Shinto as a name did not come into use until the 6th century, when Buddhist traditions made their way to Japan. It represented a specific tradition of reverence for the kami. Kami refer to god or spirit, but can also be understood as a sense of divine presence.

The story contained within the mythology of Shinto begins with a council of gods creating Japan. They sent Izanagi, the male kami of the sky, and Izanami, the female kami of the earth, to create the islands. Izanagi dips his spear into the water chaos of the earth and lifts it out. The island that forms from the foam that drips from the tip is the great island of Japan. Izanami gives birth to eight more islands and 35 kami and dies in childbirth to the last. She departs for the underworld.

In grief, Izanagi goes to find her, but when he sees the corruption that has taken place in her, he flees in horror. Izanami, angry that he would come and behold her in this inpure state, chases him away. When he finds himself outside the underworld, he washed himself of impurity in the ocean. When he cleans his left eye, the sun goddess, Amaterasu, is born. When he cleans his right eye, the moon god, Tsuki-yomi appears. When he washes his nose, Susano, the storm god, is born. Amaterasu rules the heavens, Tsukiyomi governs the night, and Susana reigns over the ocean.

Amaterasu and Susano have many children, but a difficult relationship. Susano insults Amaterasu on many occasions, which eventually drives her to hide away in a cave, leaving the world in darkness. At least 800 kami try to bring her back out. They bring her many gifts and perform many rituals. Their many efforts sound like a party to Amaterasu who wonders how they could be having a good time without her. The kami then decide to trick her by telling her that they no longer need her but have found a prettier goddess than her. When she emerges, they hold up a mirror and she is overwhelmed by her own beauty. They grab her and the world returns to normal.

Susano is then punished by having his beard clipped, fingernails and toenails cut, and then is banished.

Amaterasu sets her grandson, Ninigi, to be the first ruler in Japan to restore order. He becomes the first emperor.

Modern Understandings

There is a tradition of Shrine Shinto, which revolves around worship at shrines. There is also State Shinto, which developed in 1868 after the Meiji monarchy tried to separate Shinto from Buddhism. Recently, Sect Shinto has developed as various movements reintroduce elements of Shinto into communities.

There is not an official text for the Shinto religion. There are prominent writings that contain the mythological record of the kami and origins of Japan, but they do not contain any dogma. These are the Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters) and Nihongi (Chronicles of Japan). Portions of these texts are often reenacted at shrines on festival days.

How do current believers worship?

A central feature of Shinto worship is ritual purity. A person should be pure to worship and the land must be purified to be blessed by the kami.

The focus of Shinto is more on participating in certain rituals on prescribed occasions than on adhering to specific beliefs. There are four basic elements to this worship: purificaiton, offerings, prayer, and sacred meals.

There are festivals called matsuri. There are both local and national festivals. Two of the most important national festivals are the Harvest Festival (Niiname Matsuri), performed each autumn, and the Grand Purification Ceremony (Oharai), confirming the divine heritage of the emperor.