Departments
Intermediate Japanese - Free Online Course
ShintŌ
神道
Shinto
Japan is primarily a land of two religions: Buddhism and Shinto. Buddhism was imported from the Asian mainland in the sixth century. Shinto is much older, tracing its roots back to the animist fertility cults and shamanism of ancient Japan.
As a religion, Shinto lacks the extensive doctrines of other major faiths. It is polytheistic, based on the notion that individual gods, or kami / 神, inhabit nature. Shinto also lacks the explicit concept of sin—a characteristic which frustrated the Christian missionaries who tried to convert the Japanese during the 1500s. Shinto emphasizes the positive forces in nature rather than the darker aspects.
When Buddhism arrived in Japan, it did not displace the native Shinto religion. Rather, the two were combined for a harmonious coexistence. Shinto deities were paired with new Buddhist counterparts.
There are few Christians who would be comfortable practicing their own faith while simultaneously practicing Hinduism; but the Japanese have no difficult mixing Buddhism and Shinto into their religious lives. Of course, the Japanese in general are lukewarm believers; religious fervor is not the mark of being Japanese.
The Japanese emperor’s pre-World War II status as a semi-deity is a part of Shinto folklore. Tradition holds that Ameterasu Ōmikami, the ancient Japanese “Sun Goddess,” is related to the House of Yamato, which is the old imperial bloodline.
Worshiping at a Shinto Shrine
Shinto shrines can be seen throughout Japan. Perhaps the most famous one is the Shrine of Ise. Its inner sanctum is dedicated to the Sun Goddess, while its outer portions are dedicated to the harvest and rice gods.
While the Shrine of Ise is an elaborate structure, most Shinto shrines are far simpler. They are located in woods, on mountaintops, and other places thought to be inhabited by kami. A Shinto shrine is typically constructed of unfinished wood and a thatched roof. In order to enter a shrine, a visitor has to pass through a torii / 鳥居, which consists of two wooden vertical posts and two crossbars.
Before entering a Shinto shrine, it is customary for the visitor to perform some sort of purification ritual, or harai / 祓い. This may take the form of rinsing the hands and mouth with water. A more elaborate method of purification is misogi / 禊—which involves immersion in a pool or river.