Book

• Shintoism

  • religion of nature
  • believes in the representation of god in the material but god is also spiritual
  • is "idol tolerant"
  • ethical principle, not religion
  • do not believe in the existence of a transcendental other world
• Shintoism

  • ancient traditional religion of japan that worships indigenous gods
  • chinese word: shen-- "divine being"; tao-- "way"
  • the way of the divine beings
  • no known founder
  • no canon sacred scriptures
• the important elements of the shinto myth can be found in ancient japanese chronicles:

  kojiki, nihonshiki
• the compilation of ritual prayers at an early date

  norito
• Shintoism

  • very local religion that does not concern religion as a whole but greater concern on local shrine
  • unofficial national religion
  • focuses more on rituals than beliefs
  • merely an aspect of japanese life
• the religion that coexisted with shintoism after its arrival in 8th century ce from china and korea and doesnt consider each other as rivals


  buddhism
• since the 6th century ce, the emperor was believed to be a kami himself/descendant of kami that descended from amaterasu
• before the meiji restoration, japan was ran by feudal noblemen and the king was either in seclusion or imprisoned. not until emperor mutsihito, who took the name meiji, brought great development and changes to japan that eventually became one of the great powers in the world. but no official meiji documents declare that the emperor was kami
• emperor jimu - first emperor of japan that was thought to be the great grandson of ningino mikoto that is a grandson of amaterasu
• kami

  • shintoism follows the way of kami
  • concerned w human beings, will help them is treated properly or has interest in them
  • kami and buddhas were worshipped together; considered to be the guardians of buddhas and has same spiritual powers
  • 8 million of them
• • musubi - specific, life giving harmonizing power
  • makoto - truthful fill, "sincerity"
• 8th century ce, 2 histories were written

  • kojiki - record of ancient matters
  • nihongo - chronicles of japan
  • not considered as sacred texts
• two places discussed in religious texts:

  • plane of high heaven
  • dark land - unclean land of the dead
• shinto followers give respect to:

  • musuhi - creative and harmonizing power of kami
  • makoto - sincerity/true heart

  these are the way of kami
• • worship can be done in home or shrine
  • colorful and festive
  • kami dana - "kami shelf"
• symbols:

  • tori - "sacred gates"; most widespread symbol; found outside of shrines where kamis are believed to live
  • mirror - honesty, fairness, faithfulness
  • sword - protects kami from evil