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Shinto, Shinto

It incorporates religious practices derived from many local and regional prehistoric traditions, but did not emerge as a formal religious institution until the arrival of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, beginning in the 6th century. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki in the 8th century as a response to the influx of highly developed religions from the mainland. Still, these earliest Japanese writings do not refer to a unified "Shinto religion" but rather a set of practices associated with harvests and other annual events, along with a uniquely Japanese cosmogony and mythology, combining the traditions of the ascendant tribes of early Japan, mainly the Yamato and Izumo cultures. In time, Buddhism adapted in Japan as in China to the native beliefs and practices, including, for example, kami from the Shinto pantheon among the bodhisattvas ( bosatsu ). (See article on "syncretism".) Shinto today is characterized by polytheism and animism, a strong focus on ritual purity, and involves honoring and celebrating the existence of , whether anthropomorphic deities or something more akin to nature spirits, even an "ambiance", or a personal characteristic, such as "virility". Shinto is an "orthopractic" religion where ritual and practice are of the highest importance in comprehending and taming a world saturated by kami. Modern Shinto does not have a central dogmatic authority, despite the efforts of ruling institutions from the earliest times down through the 20th century. Rather, Shinto today is an inclusive association of local, regional, and national shrines of various rank and significance, expressing their beliefs through similar language and practice, all adopting similar "innovations" in dress, architecture, and ritual, ("innovations" dating from around the time of the Tang dynasty)., Shinto today is supposed to include about 119 million adherents in Japan, Library of Congress Country Studies although a person who practices any manner of Shinto rituals may be so counted. It is generally accepted that the vast majority of Japanese practice Shinto, while most would also consider themselves Buddhists. 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.

Sect Shinto, like Tenrikyo and Konkokyo, have a unique dogma or leader, with many exhibiting the influence of Messianic Christianity in the 19th and 20th century, particularly the "New Religions" ( Shinshky ) that proliferated in the post-war era. In general, though, the Emperor of Japan is regarded as the highest authority of the Shinto religion, despite the Showa Emperor's "Declaration of Humanity" ( ningen-sengen ) at the end of the Second World War.

Shinto is the fundamental connection between the power and beauty of nature (the land) and the Japanese people. It is the manifestation of a path to understanding the institution of divine power.

Kami may also be ancestors or famous persons of Japanese history elevated to a higher status and available for placation at a shrine. There is a bit of trouble with the definition of Kami being a "god" in the monotheistic definition of the word, but it is generally accepted to describe any supernatural force that is above the actions of man, and is very inclusive of all religious "god", spirit figures, and mythological creatures in Shinto belief. Frequently they are described taking human forms, inhabiting inanimate objects, becoming animals, and manifesting as "ghosts". All mythological creatures of the Japanese cultural tradition, of the Buddhistic traditional beliefs, Christian God, Hindu gods, Islamic Allah, various angels and demons of all faiths among others are considered Kami for the purpose of Shinto faith.

The inside or ujigami ( uji meaning clan) Kami roles that supports cohesion and continuation of established roles and patterns; and the hitogami or outside Kami, bringing innovation, new beliefs, new messages, and some instability. The tension that this system creates helped to solidify with the support of a long lasting Imperial line of divine support a very deep and complex system of Shinto all throughout Japan. There is an indigenous balance between outside influences of Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist, Western Christian and secular beliefs that although has had conflicts at times, today appears very natural and inexclusive.

Also the rice culture begins to blossom throughout Japan and this leads to the settlement of society, and seasonal reliance of crops. Both of these changes are highly influential on the Japanese people's relationship to the natural world, and likely development of a more complex system of religion. This is also the period that is referenced as the beginning of the divine imperial family. The Yayoi culture was a clan based culture that lived in compounds with a defined leader who was the chief and head priest. They were responsible for the relationship with their "gods" Kami and if one clan conquered another, their "god" would be assimilated. The earliest records of Japanese culture were written by Chinese traders who described this land as "Wu". This time period led to the creation of the Yamato culture and development of formal Shinto practices.

This is the period of the development of the feudal state, and the Yamato and Izumo cultures. Both of these dominant cultures have a large and central shrine which still exists today. Ise Shrine in the South West and Izumo Taisha in the North East. This time period is defined by the increase of central power in Naniwa, now Osaka, of the feudal lord system. Also there was an increasing influence of Korean trade and culture which profoundly changed the practices of government structure, social structure, burial practices, and warfare. The Japanese also held land and sway in Korea as well. The Paekche kingdom in Korea has political alliances with Yamato, and in the 5th century imported the Chinese writing system to record Japanese names and events for trade and political records. In 513 they sent a Confucian scholar to the court to assist in the teachings of Confucian thought. In 552 or 538 a Buddha image was given to the Yamato leader which profoundly changed the course of Japanese religious history, especially in relation to the undeveloped native religious conglomeration that was Shinto. In the latter 6th century, there was a breakdown of the alliances between Japan and Korea but the influence led to the codification of Shinto as the native religion in opposition to the extreme outside influences of the mainland. Up to this time Shinto had been largely a clan ('uji') based religious practice, exclusive to each clan.

The Soga family eventually prevailed and supported the famous Empress Suiko and Prince Shotoku, who helped impress Buddhist faith into Japan. However it was not until the Hakuho ruling period of 645-710 was Shinto installed at the imperial faith along with the Fujiwara Clan and reforms that followed.

Prior to this time clan Shinto had dominated and a codification of "Imperial Shinto" did not exist as such. The Nakatomi family are made the chief court Shinto chaplains and chief priests at Ise Daijingu which held until 1892. Also the practice of sending imperial princesses to the Ise shrine begins.

It was a liturgy of rules and codifications, primarily focused on regulation of religion, government structure, land codes, criminal and civil law. All priests, monks, and nuns were required to be registered, as were temples. The Shinto rites of the imperial line were codified, especially seasonal cycles, lunar calendar rituals, harvest festivals, and purification rites. The creation of the imperial Jingi-kan or Shinto Shrine office was completed.

This practice was necessary due to the Shinto belief in the impurity of death and the need to avoid this pollution. However, this practice of moving the capital due to "death impurity" is then abolished by the Taih Code and rise in Buddhist influence.

Shinto kami are commonly being seen by Buddhist clergy as guardians of manifestation, guardians, or pupils of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

These may serve to placate any restive kami, for instance when their shrine had to be relocated. Such ceremonies have also been adapted to modern life. For example, a ceremony was held in 1969 to hallow the Apollo 11 mission to the moon, new buildings made in Japan are frequently blessed by a Shinto priest during the groundbreaking ceremony, and many cars made in Japan have been blessed as part of the assembly process. Moreover, every Japanese car factory built outside Japan has had a groundbreaking ceremony performed by a Shinto priest, with occasionally an annual visitation by the priest to re-purify.

This may involve standing beneath a waterfall or performing ritual ablutions in a river-mouth or in the sea (misogi). 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. These two forms of purification are often referred to as harae ().

Though Buddhism and Shinto have very different perspectives on the world, most Japanese do not see any challenge in reconciling these two very different religions, and practice both. Thus it is common for people to practice Shinto in life yet have a Buddhist funeral. Their different perspectives on the afterlife are seen as complementing each other, and frequently the ritual practice of one will have an origin in the other.

The songs are used as magical devices to summon the gods and as prayers for blessings. Rhythm patterns of five and seven are common, possibly relating to the Shinto belief of the twelve generations of heavenly and earthly deities. There is also vocal accompaniment called kami uta in which the drummer sings sacred songs to the gods. Often the vocal accompaniment is overshadowed by the drumming and instruments, reinforcing that the vocal aspect of the music is more for incantation rather than aesthetics. Averbuch, Irit, The Gods Come Dancing: A Study of the Japanese Ritual Dance of Yamabushi Kagura , Ithaca, NY: East Asia Program, Cornell University, 1995, pp.83-87.

The ancient miko were shamanesses, but are now considered priestesses in the service of the Shinto Shrines.

It is performed in many of the larger Shinto shrines and is characterized by slow, elegant, circular movements, by emphasis on the four directions and by the central use of torimono (objects dancers carry in their hands), especially the fan and bells. Averbuch, Irit, The Gods Come Dancing: A Study of the Japanese Ritual Dance of Yamabushi Kagura , Ithaca, NY: East Asia Program, Cornell University, 1995, p. 15.

Shinto priests often wear a ceremonial robe called a jo-e. Kami are invoked at such important ceremonies as weddings and entry into university. The kami are commonly petitioned for earthly benefits: a child, a promotion, a happier life. While one may wish for ill fortune on others, this is believed to be possible only if the target has committed wrongs first or if one is willing to offer one's life. Though Shinto is popular for these occasions, when it comes to funerals most Japanese turn to Buddhist ceremonies, since the emphasis in Shinto is on this life and not the next. Almost all festivals in Japan are hosted by local Shinto shrines, and these festivals are open to all those who wish to attend. While these could be said to be religious events, Japanese do not regard these events as religious since everyone can attend, regardless of personal beliefs.

For example, the co-creator deities Izanami and Izanagi are explicitly compared to the Chinese concepts of yin and yang. However, the attempt did set the stage for the arrival of state Shinto, following the Meiji Restoration (c.1868), when Shinto and Buddhism were separated ( shinbutsu bunri ).

During this period, numerous scholars of kokugaku believed that State Shinto could be the unifying agent of the country around the Emperor while the process of modernization was undertaken with all possible speed. The psychological shock of the Western "Black Ships" and the subsequent collapse of the shogunate convinced many that the nation needed to unify in order to resist being colonized by outside forces.

The following year, the ministry was replaced with a new Ministry of Religion, charged with leading instruction in " shushin " (moral courses). This was a major reversal from the Edo period, in which families were registered with Buddhist temples, rather than Shinto shrines. Priests were officially nominated and organized by the state, and they instructed the youth in a form of Shinto theology based on the official dogma of the divinity of Japan's national origins and its Emperor.

In 1890, the Imperial Rescript on Education was issued, and students were required to ritually recite its oath to "offer yourselves courageously to the State" as well as to protect the Imperial family. The practice of Emperor worship was further spread by distributing imperial portraits for esoteric veneration. All of these practices were used to fortify national solidarity through patriotic observance at shrines. This use of Shinto gave Japanese patriotism a special tint of mysticism and cultural introversion, which became more pronounced as time went on.

However, the concept of religion in Japan is a complex one. A survey conducted in the mid 1970s indicated that of those participants who claimed not to believe in religion, one-third had a Buddhist or Shinto altar in their home, and about one quarter carried an omamori (an amulet to gain protection by kami ) on their person. Following the war, Shinto has, for the most part, persisted with less importance placed on mythology or the divine mandate of the Imperial family. Instead, shrines tend to focus on helping ordinary people gain better fortunes for themselves through maintaining good relations with their ancestors and other kami . Shinto has largely reverted to its pre-imperial family state. Post-war, the number of Japanese citizens identifying their religious beliefs as Shinto has declined a great deal, yet the general practice of Shinto rituals has not decreased accordingly, and many practices have persisted as general cultural beliefs (such as ancestor worship, which is still very popular), and community festivals ( matsuri ) focusing more on religious practices. The explanation generally given for this anomaly is that, following the demise of State Shinto, modern Shinto has reverted to its more traditional position as a traditional religion which is culturally ingrained, rather than enforced. In any case, Shinto and its values continue to be an important component of the Japanese cultural mindset.

Many famously Japanese practices have origins either directly or indirectly rooted in Shinto. For example, it is clear that the Shinto ideal of harmony with nature underlies such typically Japanese arts as flower-arranging ( ikebana ), traditional Japanese architecture, and garden design. A more explicit link to Shinto is seen in sumo wrestling, where, even in the modern version of the sport, many Shinto-inspired ceremonies must be performed before a bout, such as purifying the wrestling arena by sprinkling it with salt. The Japanese emphasis on proper greetings and respectful phrasings can be seen as a continuation of the ancient Shinto belief in kotodama (words with a magical effect on the world). Many Japanese cultural customs, like using wooden chopsticks and removing shoes before entering a building, have their origin in Shinto beliefs and practices. A number of other Japanese religions have originated from or been influenced by Shinto. Also, much of Japanese pop culture, especially anime and manga, draws from Shinto for inspiration and stories (e.g.

Source: Wikipedia > Shinto