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Shinto
This article is part of a series on Shinto
Practices and beliefs
Kami · Ritual dance · Ritual purity · Polytheism · Animism · Japanese festivals · Mythology ·
Shinto shrines
List of Shinto shrines · Ichinomiya · Twenty-Two Shrines · Modern system of ranked Shinto Shrines · Association of Shinto Shrines
Notable Kami
Amaterasu · Sarutahiko · Ame no Uzume · Inari · Izanagi · Izanami · Susanoo · Tsukuyomi
Important literature
Kojiki · Nihon Shoki · Fudoki · Rikkokushi · Shoku Nihongi · Kogo Shūi · Jinnō Shōtōki · Kujiki
See also
Religion in Japan · Glossary of Shinto · List of Shinto divinities · Sacred objects · Japanese Buddhism · Mythical creatures
Shinto Portal v t e

Shinto priest and priestess.

Shinto (神道, Shintō^?) or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi,^[1] is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the people of Japan. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past.^[2] Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written historical records of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki in the 8th century. Still, these earliest Japanese writings do not refer to a unified "Shinto religion", but rather to disorganized folklore, history, and mythology.^[3] Shinto today is a term that applies to public shrines suited to various purposes such as war memorials, harvest festivals, romance, and historical monuments, as well as various sectarian organizations. Practitioners express their diverse beliefs through a standard language and practice, adopting a similar style in dress and ritual, dating from around the time of the Nara and Heian Periods.^[3]

The word Shinto ("Way of the Gods") was adopted from the written Chinese (神道, pinyin: shén dào),^[4] combining two kanji: "shin" (神^?), meaning "spirit" or kami; and "tō" (道^?), meaning a philosophical path or study (from the Chinese word dào).^[3][4] Kami are defined in English as "spirits", "essences" or "deities", that are associated with many understood formats; in some cases being human-like, in others being animistic, and others being associated with more abstract "natural" forces in the world (mountains, rivers, lightning, wind, waves, trees, rocks). Kami and people are not separate; they exist within the same world and share its interrelated complexity.^[3]

There are currently 4 million observers of Shinto in Japan,^[5] although a person who practices any manner of Shinto rituals may be so counted. The vast majority of people in Japan who take part in Shinto rituals also practice Buddhist ancestor worship. However, unlike many monotheistic religious practices, Shinto and Buddhism typically do not require professing faith to be a believer or a practitioner, and as such it is difficult to query for exact figures based on self-identification of belief within Japan. Due to the syncretic nature of Shinto and Buddhism, most "life" events are handled by Shinto and "death" or "afterlife" events are handled by Buddhism—for example, it is typical in Japan to register or celebrate a birth at a Shinto shrine, while funeral arrangements are generally dictated by Buddhist tradition—although the division is not exclusive.

Creation myth[link]

Izanami-no-Mikoto and Izanagi-no-Mikoto, by Kobayashi Eitaku, late 19th century

The creation myth of Shinto is recorded in the ca. 712 Kojiki. It is a depiction of the events leading up to and including the creation of the Japanese Islands. There are many translations of the story with variations of complexity.

• Izanagi-no-Mikoto (male) and Izanami-no-Mikoto (female) were called by all the myriad gods and asked to help each other to create a new land which was to become Japan.
• They were given a spear with which they stirred the water, and when removed water dripped from the end, an island was created in the great nothingness.
• They lived on this island, and created a palace and within was a large pole.
• When they wished to bear offspring, they performed a ritual each rounding a pole, male to the left and female to the right, the female greeting the male first.
• They had 2 children (islands) which turned out badly and they cast them out. They decided that the ritual had been done incorrectly the first time.
• They repeated the ritual but according to the correct laws of nature, the male spoke first.
• They then gave birth to the 8 perfect islands of the Japanese archipelago.
• After the islands, they gave birth to the other Kami, Izanami-no-Mikoto dies and Izanagi-no-Mikoto tries to revive her.
• His attempts to deny the laws of life and death have bad consequences.

The islands of Japan are to be considered a paradise as they were directly created by the gods for the people of Japan, and were ordained by the higher spirits to be created into the Japanese empire. Shinto is the fundamental connection between the power and beauty of nature (the land) and the people of Japan. It is the manifestation of a path to understanding the institution of divine power.

Kami[link]

Shinto teaches that everything contains a kami (神, "spiritual essence"^?, commonly translated as god or spirit). Shinto's spirits are collectively called yaoyorozu no kami (八百万の神^?), an expression literally meaning "eight million kami", but interpreted as meaning "myriad", although it can be translated as "many Kami". There is a phonetic variation kamu and a similar word among Ainu kamui. There is an analog "mi-koto".^[6]

Kami is generally accepted to describe the innate supernatural force that is above the actions of man, the realm of the sacred, and is inclusive of gods, spirit figures, and human ancestors.^{[citation needed]} All mythological creatures of the Japanese cultural tradition, of the Buddhistic tradition, Christian God, Hindu gods, Islamic Allah, various angels and demons of all faiths among others are considered Kami for the purpose of Shinto faith.^{[citation needed]}

The kami reside in all things, but certain places are designated for the interface of people and kami (the common world and the sacred): sacred nature, shrines, and kamidana. There are natural places considered to have an unusually sacred spirit about them, and are objects of worship. They are frequently mountains, trees, unusual rocks, rivers, waterfalls, and other natural edifices. In most cases they are on or near a shrine grounds. The shrine is a building built in which to house the kami, with a separation from the "ordinary" world through sacred space with defined features based on the age and lineage of the shrine. The kamidana is a home shrine (placed on a wall in the home) that is a "kami residence" that acts as a substitute for a large shrine on a daily basis. In each case the object of worship is considered a sacred space inside which the kami spirit actually dwells, being treated with the utmost respect and deference.

Types[link]

To distinguish between these different focuses of emphasis within Shinto, many feel it is important to separate Shinto into different types of Shinto expression.

• Shrine Shinto (神社神道, jinja-shintō^?) is the most prevalent of the Shinto types. It has always been a part of Japan's history and constitutes the main current of Shinto tradition. Shrine Shinto is associated in the popular imagination with summer festivals, good luck charms, making wishes, holding groundbreaking ceremonies, and showing support for the nation of Japan. Before the Meiji Restoration, shrines were disorganized institutions usually attached to Buddhist temples, but they were claimed by the government during the imperial period for patriotic use and systematized. The successor to the imperial organization, the Association of Shinto Shrines, oversees about 80,000 shrines nationwide.
• Imperial Household Shinto (皇室神道, Kōshitsu-shintō^?) are the religious rites performed exclusively by the Imperial Family at the three shrines on the Imperial grounds, including the Ancestral Spirits Sanctuary (Kōrei-den) and the Sanctuary of the Kami (Shin-den).^[4]
• Folk Shinto (民俗神道, minzoku-shintō^?) 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 most come from ancient local traditions.
• Sect Shinto (宗派神道, shūha-shintō^?) is a legal designation originally created in the 1890s to separate government-owned shrines from local religious practices. 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 Mount Fuji, faith-healing sects, purification sects, Confucian sects, and Revival Shinto sects. The remainder of Sectarian Shinto is New Sect Shinto. The current groups of Sect Shinto are Kurozumikyo, Shinto Shuseiha, Izumo Oyashirokyo, Fusokyo, Jikkokyo, Shinshukyo, Shinto Taiseikyo, Ontakekyo, Shinto Taikyo, Misogikyo, Shinrikyo and Konkokyo. An association of Sect Shintoists also exists.^[7]
• Koshintō (古神道, ko-shintō^?), literally "Old Shinto", is a reconstructed "Shinto from before the time of Buddhism", today based on Ainu religion and Ryukyuan practices. It continues the Restoration movement begun by Hirata Atsutane.

All these main types of Shinto and some subtypes have given birth to many and diverse schools and sects since medieval times to the present days. A list of the most relevant can be found at the article Shinto sects and schools.

Shrines[link]

Shinto Shrines of Japan

Ise Grand Shrine—Honden at Naiku. After 1871, it is the apex of the 80000 Shinto Shrines

Izumo Taisha—haiden and Honden, one of the oldest shrines in Japan

Tsubaki Grand Shrine—Haiden, one of the oldest shrines in Japan

Fushimi Inari—Main Gate, one of the oldest shrines in Japan

Isonokami—Haiden, a historically significant Imperial National Treasure

The principal worship of kami is done at public shrines or worship at small home shrines called kamidana. The public shrine is a building or place that functions as a conduit for kami. A fewer number of shrines are also natural places called mori. The most common of the mori are sacred groves of trees, or mountains, or waterfalls. All shrines are open to the public at some times or throughout the year.

While many of the public shrines are elaborate structures, all are characteristic Japanese architectural styles of different periods depending on their age. Shrines are fronted by a distinctive Japanese gate (torii) made of two uprights and two crossbars denoting the separation between common space and sacred space. The torii have 20 styles and matching buildings based on the enshrined kami and lineage.

There are a number of symbolic and real barriers that exist between the normal world and the shrine grounds including: statues of protection, gates, fences, ropes, and other delineations of ordinary to sacred space. Usually there will be only one or sometimes two approaches to the Shrine for the public and all will have the torii over the way. In shrine compounds, there are a haiden or public hall of worship, heiden or hall of offerings and the honden. The innermost precinct of the grounds is the honden or worship hall, which is entered only by the high priest, or worshippers on certain occasions. The honden houses the symbol of the enshrined kami.

The heart of the shrine is periodic rituals, spiritual events in parishioners' lives, and festivals. All of this is organized by priests who are both spiritual conduits and administrators. Shrines are private institutions, and are supported financially by the congregation and visitors. Some shrines may have festivals that attract hundreds of thousands, especially in the New Year season.

Notable shrines[link]

Of the 80,000 Shinto shrines:

• Atsuta Shrine, Nagoya, shrine to the Imperial sword Kusanagi
• Chichibu Shrine, Saitama Prefecture, dedicated to Omoikane and Amenominakanushi Okami
• Heian Jingū, Kyoto, dedicated to Emperor Kammu and Emperor Kōmei
• Hikawa Shrine, Omiya district
• Hokkaido Shrine, Sapporo, Hokkaido
• The Ise Jingu, Ise, Mie, dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, also called Jingu
• The Gassan Hongu, Yamagata^{[disambiguation needed ]}, dedicated to Tsukuyomi Okami
• Itsukushima Shrine, Hiroshima Prefecture, a World Heritage Site and one of the National Treasures of Japan
• Iwashimizu Shrine, Yawata, Kyoto
• Izumo Taisha, Izumo
• Kasuga Shrine, Nara
• Katori Shrine, Chiba Prefecture, dedicated to Futsunushi
• Kumano Shrines, Wakayama Prefecture
• Meiji Shrine, Tokyo, the shrine of Emperor Meiji
• Nikkō Tōshō-gū, Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture
• Ōsaki Hachiman Shrine, Miyagi Prefecture
• Sendai Tōshō-gū, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture
• Shiogama Shrine, Miyagi Prefecture
• Three Palace Sanctuaries, Kōkyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo
• Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine, Kamakura, Kanagawa
• Usa Hachiman Shrine, Ōita Prefecture, dedicated to Hachimanno-Mikoto
• Yasukuni Shrine (Tokyo), a shrine dedicated to Japan's war dead.

Beliefs[link]

Impurity[link]

Shinto teaches that certain deeds create a kind of ritual impurity that one should want cleansed for one's own peace of mind and good fortune rather than because impurity is wrong. Wrong deeds are called "impurity" (穢れ, kegare^?), which is opposed to "purity" (清め, kiyome^?). Normal days are called "day" (ke), and festive days are called "sunny" or, simply, "good" (hare).^[8]

Those who are killed without being shown gratitude for their sacrifice will hold a grudge (怨み, urami^?) (grudge) and become powerful and evil kami who seek revenge (aragami).^{[citation needed]} Additionally, if anyone is injured on the grounds of a shrine, the area must be ritually purified.

Haraegushi (祓串) for purification

Purification[link]

Purification rites called Harae are a vital part of Shinto. They are done on a daily, weekly, seasonal, lunar, and annual basis. These rituals are the lifeblood^{[citation needed]} of the practice of Shinto. Such ceremonies have also been adapted to modern life. New buildings made in Japan are frequently blessed by a Shinto priest called kannushi (神主^?) during the groundbreaking ceremony (Jichinsai 地鎮祭), and many cars made in Japan have been blessed as part of the assembly process. Moreover, many Japanese businesses built outside Japan have had ceremonies performed by a Shinto priest, with occasionally an annual visitation by the priest to re-purify.

Afterlife[link]

It is common for families to participate in ceremonies for children at a shrine, yet have a Buddhist funeral at the time of death mostly due to the negative Japanese conception of the afterlife and death as well as buddhism's historical monopoly on funeral rites. In old Japanese legends, it is often claimed that the dead go to a place called yomi (黄泉), a gloomy underground realm with a river separating the living from the dead mentioned in legend of Izanami and Izanagi. This yomi is very close to the Greek Hades however later myths include notions of resurrection and even elysium-like descriptions such as with the legend of Okuninushi and Susanoo. Shinto tends to hold negative views on death and corpses as a source of pollution called "kegare". However death is also viewed as a path towards apotheosis in Shintoism as can be evidenced by how legendary individuals become enshrined after death. Perhaps the most famous would be Emperor Ojin who was enshrined as Hachiman the God of War after his death.

Unlike many religions, one does not need to publicly profess belief in Shinto to be a believer. 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 a "family child" (氏子, ujiko^?). After death an ujiko becomes a "family spirit", or "family kami" (氏神, ujigami^?). 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. This is not considered an imposition of belief, but a sign of being welcomed by the local kami, with the promise of addition to the pantheon of kami after death.

Practices[link]

Omairi[link]

Temizu Basin—Itsukushima Jinja

Any person may visit a shrine and one need not be "Shinto" to do this. Doing so is called Omairi. Typically there are a few basic steps to visiting a shrine.

• Approach the entrance and bow respectfully before entering.
• If there is a hand washing basin provided, perform Temizu; wash your left hand first, then your right, then rinse your mouth, (do not spit back into the water supply or drink), and sometimes your feet as well if needed. Tip the ladle backwards to wash the ladle handle with the remaining water and place opening down on the rack where you found it.
• Approach the shrine; if there is a bell, you may ring the bell prior to prayers; if there is a box for donations, leave a modest one in relation to your means; normally there will be a sequence of bows, (commonly 2) and then claps (commonly 2), hold the second and put your hands together in front of your heart for a closing bow after your prayers.
• There is variation in how this basic visitation may go, and depending on the time of year and holidays there may also be other rituals attached to visitations.
• Be sincere and respectful to the staff and other visitors, and if at all possible, be quiet. Do be aware that there are places one should not go on the shrine grounds. Do not wear shoes inside any buildings.

Harae[link]

The rite of ritual purification usually done daily at a shrine is a ceremony of offerings and prayers of several forms. Shinsen (food offerings of fruit, fish, vegetables), Tamagushi (Sakaki Tree Branches), Shio (salt), Gohan (rice), Mochi (rice paste), and Sake (rice wine) are all typical offerings. On holidays and other special occasions the inner shrine doors may be opened and special offerings made.

Offerings to Kami

Tamagushi Offering at Hachiman Jinja

Shinsen offerings at Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America

Mochi Shinsen offered at Meiji Jingu

Sake Offerings at Itsukushima Jinja

Tamagushi and Shinsen offered at Katori-jingu

Water purification[link]

Misogi harai or Misogi Shūhō (禊修法) is the term for water purification.

The practice of purification by ritual use of water while reciting prayers is typically done daily by regular practitioners, and when possible by lay practitioners. There is a defined set of prayers and physical activities that precede and occur during the ritual. This will usually be performed at a shrine, in a natural setting, but can be done anywhere there is clean running water.

The basic performance of this is the hand and mouth washing (Temizu 手水) done at the entrance to a shrine. The more dedicated believer may purify him- or herself by standing beneath a waterfall or performing ritual ablutions in a river. This practice comes from Shinto history, when the kami Izanagi-no-Mikoto first performed misogi after returning from the land of Yomi, where he was made impure by Izanami-no-Mikoto after her death.

Imi[link]

Another form of ritual cleanliness is avoidance, which means that a taboo is placed upon certain persons or acts. To illustrate, one would not visit a shrine if a close relative in the household had died recently. Killing is generally unclean and is to be avoided. When one is performing acts that harm the land or other living things, prayers and rituals are performed to placate the Kami of the area. This type of cleanliness is usually performed to prevent ill outcomes.

Amulets and protective items[link]

A woman tying her fortune (omikuji) at Kasuga Shrine