Philo104 shinto

SHINTO
BAGUIO, NEILVIN F
HERRERA, KEEANU JOSHUA L
LIM, DEXTER IVAN T
MACASA, LEVDRED T

SHINTO
• The term " SHINTO " sometimes is called
"KAMI NO MICHI"
• SHINTO is a word taken over from Chinese
(SHEN-DAO = "way of spirits") to designate
the indigenous religious practices of Japan
• KAMI NO MICHI means "the way of the
Gods"

SHINTO
 Shintoism is one of the oldest religions being the
third oldest religion in the world and is the most
popular religion in Japan along with Buddhism.
 A major feature of Shinto is the belief of Kami the
concept of sacred power in both animate and
inanimate objects. Kami are believed to control
nature.
 Shinto is an optimistic faith, as humans are thought
to be fundamentally good, and evil is believed to be
caused by evil spirits. Consequently, the purpose of
most Shinto rituals is to keep away evil spirits by
purification, prayers and offerings to the kami

Kinds of Shinto
1. Shrine Shinto
2. Folk Shinto
3. Sect Shinto
4. Imperial Shinto

Shrine Shinto
• A.k.a. Jinja Shinto
• This is the largest form of Shintoism and hews
closest to the original form of the religion. Nearly
all the shrines in this form belong to the Jinja
Honcho or Association of Shinto Shrines which has
some 80,000 associated shrines.

Shrine Shinto
The three major tenets of this form of Shinto are:
• To be grateful to the gods (Kami) and the ancestors
for their blessings, to be conscientious in performing
the rites and approach the ceremonies with right
attitude.
• To help others through good deeds without
consideration of self gain and to improve the
worldly condition as one that was made by the gods.
• To cooperate with others in service to the state (will
of the Emperor) and pray for the nation so that other
people may live and prosper in peace.

Folk Shinto
• A.k.a. Minzoku Shinto
• While not organized as Shrine Shinto, Folk Shinto reflects the
natural-worshiping roots of Shinto.
• Folk Shinto is seen as mostly a series of local practices and
ceremonies worshipping local Kami.
• Centered on families and agriculture practices, the worship
generally takes place at home or small roadside shrines.
• Folk Shinto has no priesthood as such, but rural villages or
districts select a layman to perform certain ceremonies for the
local deity.
• Folk Shinto contains a mix of beliefs, usually revolving
around local kami and youkai.
• It revolves around divination, spiritual healing, shamanism
and even spiritual possession.

Sectarian Shinto
• A.k.a. Kyoha or Shuha Shinto
• Some combine Shinto with influences from
Buddhism or other religions
• Sect Shinto started in the 19th Century and
includes 13 major independent sects which are
officially recognized by the Japanese
government.
• The main difference between shrine Shinto and
sect Shinto is that the latter developed much later
and grew self-consciously. This means that they
can identify a founder, a formal set of teachings
and even sacred scriptures.

Sect Shinto
The 13 sects, with their date of formal recognition, are:
• Fusokyô (1882)
• Izumo Oyashirokyô (1882)
• Jikkokyô (1882)
• Konkokyô (1900)
• Kurozumikyô (1876)
• Misogikyô (1894)
• Ontakekyô, formerly known as Mitakekyô (1882)
• Shinrikyô (1894)
• Shinshukyô (1882)
• Shinto Shusei-ha (1876)
• Shinto Taikyô, known before World War II simply as Shinto (1886)
• Taiseikyô (1882)
• Tenrikyô (1908)

Imperial Shinto
• A.k.a. Koshitsu Shinto
• This form of Shinto is the form performed by the
Emperor and other members of the Imperial Family.
• Essential Koshitsu is a remainder of when the
Emperor was considered divine and had to perform
certain rituals to ensure the well-being of the Japanese
nation.
• The Emperor continues to perform many of these
rituals; the most important one is Niinamesai.
• Niinamesai is an offering of the first fruits of harvest.
Priests and Priestesses assist the Emperor in the
ceremony.

Shinto Shrines
• In Japanese, Shinto
Shrines are known as
Yashiro.
• Sacred structures to
house Shinto Kami.
-Goshintai (shintai):
Physical objects
worshiped at (or near)
Shinto shrines in which
spirits or Kami
reside(mirrors).

Shinto Shrines
Key items in Shinto Shrines
• Torii Gate: Identifies the boundary
between the sacred world of the
shrine and the world outside.
• Sando: path that leads to the Shrine.
• Chozuya or Temizuya: Purification
area i.e. to cleanse ones mouth and
hands.
• Ema - wooden plaques bearing
prayers.
• Koma-inu – The "lion dogs",
guardians of the shrine
• Sessha-Small shrines.
• Haiden-hall of worship.
• Hoden-The main hall, enshrining the
Kami.

History
Shinto is the native religion in Japan with
its roots stretching back to 500 B.C., and is a
poly-theistic one venerating almost any natural
objects ranging from mountains, rivers, water,
rocks, trees, to dead notables.

Historical development of Shintoism: three phases
1) 6th century BC-6th Century AD: SHINTO’s rise
2) 6th century AD - 16th/19th century:
Buddhism and Confucianism dominate,
Shinto declines
16th century: Christianity enters Japan provoking a reaction
that will generate the return to Shinto as State Religion
3) 19th - mid-20th century:
Shinto becomes again the official religion
(Progressive Revival of Shinto 16th-18th century)
History

 IZANAGI>Amaterasu >Nihingi >Jimmu Tenno
!
(line of emperors)
SHINTO CREATION MYTH
 IZANAGI (+IZANAMI, wife): first couple of Kami
=>Amaterasu (daughter of Izanagi)
 =>Ninigi (grand son of Amaterasu)
=>Jimmu Tenno (great grand son of Ninigi; first
legendary human emperor)
=> all other Japanese emperors
History

 IZANAGI (husband) + IZANAMI(wife): first pair of Kami
 They descended from Heaven along a rainbow bridge and created the eight
great islands of Japan.
 Many kami were born to the couple
 But when the fire Kami was born, Izanami, the mother, was killed by the
flames.
 IZANAGI washed his left eye: AMATERASU (SUN-Kami) is born
 washed his right eye: TSUKIYOMI (Moon-Kami) is born
 washed his nose: SUSANOO (Valiant Raging Male Kami)
 Jimmu Tenno, the first emperor of Japan descended directly from Amaterasu
 Amaterasu sent her grand son NIHINGI to rule the earth
History

Founder
- Shinto has no founder
- No official scriptures, like Islam or Christianity
- However,
- Origin: 7th/6th century B.C.
- * Unification of Japanese people, beginning of imperial
dynasty and Japanese civilization and history.
- 660 B.C: Jimmu Tenno (first emperor of Japan) And rise of
Shintoism
- 5 C.E: Japanese build the first national Shinto shrine at ISE.
- 712-720 C.E: completion of Shinto Chronicles.

Founder
• No one knows for sure how the religion began.
Shintoism was an informal religion but it had many
local cults.
• Japanese people made stories and rituals to make sense
of what they believed in.
• Shinto was the only religion in Japan but then
Buddhism arrived and Shintoism developed some
elements from Buddhism. Later on Buddhism got more
popular and Shintoism almost faded. After this
happened there was the Meiji Restoration (1868) which
made Shinto reorganized.

Founder
SACRED TEXTS
1. KOJIKI ("Records of Ancient Matters")
2. NIHON-GI, or NIHON SHOKI("Chronicles of
Japan") these two books are regarded in a sense as
sacred books of Shinto.
They were written in AD. 712 and 720,
respectively, and are compilations of the oral traditions
of ancient Shinto. But they are also books about the
history, topography and literature of ancient Japan.

Influences
Shinto: the Indigenous Religion of Japanese People
– The indigenous religion of the Japanese people,
enshrouded in the ancient past, involved deep reference
to the spirits and deities in nature, reverence to ancestors,
& seeking harmony with nature
– Each local area had their own local deity
– Their religion probably had little change over a few
thousand years, until, similar to Native American
religion, outside foreign influence came bringing a
different religion.
– Japan: Buddhism brought by Chinese monks and
merchants C.E.

Influences
The Foreign Religious and Cultural Influence in
Japan
– The 3rd cent. C.E.: Buddhism really had its impact in
Japan
– Impact was religious, spiritual, ideological, and cultural
– The Japanese people were illiterate until the Chinese
brought their writing with them
– Direct impact upon Shinto in its very name: Shinto
comes from the Chinese Shin and Tao, loosely translated
as “the Way of the gods”

Influences
Shinto in Response to Chinese Influence
– But in response to this foreign influence, the Japanese
have preferred to call their religion: Kami no michi,
which also means, loosely, “the Way of the gods.”
– In the Common Era Middle Ages, the Japanese
developed their writing, and in turn penned the
Mythology of Japan in a book called Kojiki, and wrote
the Chronicles of Japan in a book called Nihongi.
– These two texts which lay a cultural foundation for the
Japanese people e.g. the emperors and the people are
descendents from the gods

POPULATION AND
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
SHINTO’S

JAPAN is slightly smaller than California
 Total population: 127,417,244 (July 2005 est.)
 Ethnic groups
Japanese 99%,
others 1% : Korean 511,262,
Chinese 244,241,
Brazilian 182,232,
Filipino 89,851,
other 237,914.
Note: up to 230,000 Brazilians of Japanese origin migrated to
Japan in the 1990s to work in industries; some have returned to
Brazil (2004)
Population

• Shinto 83.9%
• Buddhism 71.4%
• Christianity 2%
• Other 7.8%
• Note: total adherents exceeds 100% because many people belong to
both Shintoism and Buddhism
• Religion in Japan is characterized by syncretism; meaning, most
people identify with more than one religion and sometimes combine
more than two. Religions that are commonly synced include Shinto
and Buddhism.
• These religions aren’t necessarily alternately practiced, but it is
common for them to be interwoven.
Population

Japanese religions
 1. CHRISTIANS: 0.7% (about 1%):
1 to 2 million.
 2. observe both Shinto and Buddhism: 84%
 3. other religions: 16%
(including Christianity and Confucianism)
 Today, about 1 to 2 million Japanese are Christian
(about 1% of Japan's population). Most of them live in
Western Japan where the missionaries' activities were
greatest during the 16th century.

Basic Tenets
• Nature worship and adoration of the sun goddess
with emperor offspring
• All of humanity is regarded as "Kami's child." Thus
all human life and human nature is sacred.
• Believers aspire to have "makoto", sincerity or true
heart. This is regarded as the way or will of Kami.
• Morality is based upon that which is of benefit to the
group. "Shinto emphasizes right practice, sensibility,
and attitude."

Basic Beliefs
• Emphasized harmony of natural beauty and of a
poetic appreciation of reality
• Natural events are considered to be manifestations
of heavenly energy within Shinto
• The Four Affirmations:
– Tradition and Family
– Love of Nature
– Physical cleanliness
– Matsuri: festivals that worship and honor the Kami

Tradition and the family:
The family is seen
as the main force
for traditions to be
preserved. Main
celebrations relate
to birth and
marriage.
The Four Affirmations of Shinto

Love of nature:
Nature is sacred;
to be in contact
with nature is to
be close to the
Gods. Natural
objects are
worshipped as
sacred spirits

Physical cleanliness:
Followers of Shinto take
baths, wash their hands,
and rinse out their mouth
often. Shinto stresses
purifying that which is
unclean, such as dirt,
wounds, and disease.
Touching the dead is
considered unclean.

Matsuri:
The worship
given to the kami
and the ancestral
spirits.

The 10 Precepts of Shinto
1st. Do not transgress the will of the gods.
2nd. Do not forget your obligations to
ancestors.
3rd. Do not offend by violating the decrees of
the State.
4th. Do not forget the profound goodness of
the, gods, through which calamity and
misfortunes are averted and sickness is
healed.
5th. Do not forget that the world is one great
family.

The 10 Precepts of Shinto
6th. Do not forget the limitations of
your own person.
7th. Do not become angry even
though others become angry.
8th. Do not be sluggish in your work.
9th. Do not bring blame to the
teaching.
10th. Do not be carried away by
foreign teachings

What part does Shinto already play in
the life of Japanese people?
1. Soon after birth, every child is offered up to
the local "guardian" spirits. This takes place at
the local Shinto Shrine.
2. At the age of 5 for boys, and 3 and 7 for
girls, children are again "blessed" (?) at a
Shinto Shrine.
3. During primary school, every child is taken
to the big national shrine of the sun goddess,
and expected to worship there. This takes place
under the guise of a school excursion.

4. Many homes have a "god shelf" where local Shinto
gods and the sun goddess are worshiped. This is
particularly so in the country.
5. Over the new year period, almost the whole country
makes a pilgrimage both to their local Shinto shrine,
and also to a big famous one. This is particularly so now
when the economy is not so steady.
6. Local Shinto shrines have regular festivals and street
parades. In country districts this is the main social
function, and the whole town has a jolly time.

7. Big famous shrines have enormously popular
festivals, drawing huge crowds from all over Japan.
8. Those involved in business, or agriculture, are most
particular to get the favor of the gods by special
ceremonies. Big city firms line up their employees on
the roof and conduct ceremonies before a small shrine
built there. All are expected to take part as a sign of
loyalty.
9. All houses, and the ground under them, have Shinto
incantations performed before and during building.

10. Traditionally weddings were always conducted
before the Shinto gods, and most still are.
11. In country towns, such as where we live, each
household has to share responsibility to care for the
spirit of the shrine. The "spirit" is passed on from one
house to the next each year, and the neighbors gather
for a feast with plenty of alcohol. This is very serious
business, and no household would dream of not
fulfilling its responsibility - on pain of being put to
isolation in the community.
12. Fees for the conduct of local shrine affairs are
automatically included and collected in normal town
fees.

• Susanoo –
“Kami of the Wind”
• Brother to Amaterasu
• Protects from disasters,
but also causes disasters
Special Features

• Izanami and Izanagi
• The two Kami that
created the islands of
Japan
Special Features

• Purification: Water and
Washing of Hands(essential
element)
• Before praying to the deities, people
need to purify themselves of
impurity(Harai), this act of cleansing is
called Misogi. Most large shrines have a
basin for people who are entering the
shrines to wash their hands and mouths.
The left hand is rinsed before the right
hand and later the mouth is rinsed with
water from the left hand; however,
rinsing the mouth is less emphasized.
Special Features

• Purification Using Salt: Another
significant element of purification. Salt is
often sprinkled to remove impurities; this
act is called Shubatsu. Sometimes, salt is
placed outside the home, near the entrance,
in a little pile(Mori Shio) for people who are
entering the home to be purified. Small pile
of salt can be placed in four corners of the
house to purify the house, especially before
moving in the house. Sometimes, scattered
salt (Maki Shio) is thrown around the
boundaries of the house to stop impurities
from entering the home. After a funeral,
people sprinkle salt over their shoulder.
Salt is used to open and
close Sumo ceremonies.
Salt is scatted by sumo
wrestlers before each match
to purify themselves and the
sumo ring(dohyo).
Special Features

• Torii (Gate) 鳥居
Literal meaning is Bird Perch. Shinto
Shrines always have gates called Torii to
separate the sacred area of the shrines and
the outside. There are two types of Torii. If
the gate is without any decoration, it is a
pure Shinto shrine, if not, it is Ryobu Shinto;
it has been influenced by Buddhism.
Special Features

• Animal Guardians
Most of the shrines are guarded by a pair
of lion-dogs, called Shishi (aka Koma-
inu). Typically, both Shishis have
different roles. One has its mouth opened
to scare off demons and the other has its
mouth closed to shelter and keep in the
good spirits. Some shrines are guarded by
two foxes, Kitsune or two monkeys.
Nari Hwangpo
Special Features

• Shimenawa 注連縄
This is a special plaited rope.
Sacred places are typically
marked with shimenawa and
shime (strips of white paper).
This was to indicate the presence
of kami. Shimenawas were
placed around trees or objects to
ward off evil spirits.
Special Features

• Shide (紙垂, 四手) is a
zigzag-shaped paper
streamer, often seen
attached to shimenawa or
tamagushi, and used in
Shinto rituals. A popular
ritual is using a haraegushi,
or "lightning wand", named
for the zig-zag shide paper
that adorns the wand.
Special Features

• Praying Etiquette, Ringing of
Bell,
Clapping of Hands :
o Pass through the Torii.
o Wash off impurities (hands and mouth)
o Enter the main hall of worship and ring the
bell above the offering box.
o Bow twice, clap your hands twice, bow
once more, and throw coins into the
wooden offering box (pray before or after).
 Clapping of hands(Kashiwade) and ringing the
bell was carried out to make sure the deity was
listening.
Special Features

• Three Shintō Regalia
The imperial family enshrine three
items that are not displayed to the
public.
o Sacred mirror: divine mirror, Yata no Kagmi
or Shinkyo. Symbol of the sun goddess
Amaterasu.
o Sword: Found in the tail of the dragon slain by
her brother Susano-O-no-Mikoto
o Jewel: Yasakani no Magatama is an acient and
holy shinto talisman.
Special Features

Omikuji (おみくじ) are
Japanese fortune-
telling paper strips that
can be found at shrines
and temples throughout
the country. The
fortune that one is
granted can range from
having a great blessing
(大吉) to a great curse
Special Features

• Ema (絵馬 picture-horse) are small
wooden plaques on which Shinto
worshippers write their prayers or
wishes. The ema are then left
hanging up at the shrine, where the
kami (spirits or gods) are believed to
receive them.
• They bear various pictures, often of
animals or other Shinto imagery, and
many have the word gan'i (願意),
meaning "wish", written along the
side. In ancient times people would
donate horses to the shrines for good
favor; over time this was transferred
to a wooden plaque with a picture of
a horse, and later still to the various
wooden plaques sold today for the
same purpose.
Special Features

Shinto Today
• People seek support from Shinto by praying at a home
altar or by visiting shrines. A whole range of talismans
are available at shrines for traffic safety, good health,
success in business, safe childbirth, good exam
performance and more.
• A large number of wedding ceremonies are held in
Shinto style. Death, however, is considered a source of
impurity, and is left to Buddhism to deal with.
Consequently, there are virtually no Shinto cemeteries,
and most funerals are held in Buddhist style.

Go chōshu
Arigatōgozaimashita

Sources
• http://www.christianfaith.com/resources/japans-silent-shinto-revival
• https://www.emaze.com/@ACWRQZLI/Presentation-Name
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qVf5TP5KtU
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Japan
• http://slideplayer.com/slide/4315818/
• http://listverse.com/2013/11/28/10-things-you-should-know-about-
shinto/
• http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
ShintoShrineHyakudoIshiM0872.jpg
• http://commons.wikimedia.org/
• http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oM3lULbEZgo/RikdzKaxR9I/AAAAAA
AAAgE/ljBq34a9nRk/s1600-h/DSC06295.JPG

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