Shintoism

• Shintoism


  Origins of Shintoism are unknown, it has no accompanying literature, and while animism was present in early Japan, it is considered different from Shintoism today
• The Kojiki


  • It is the origin story of Japan and is said to be the origin story of Shintoism
  • It is a collection of stories about the formation of Japan
  • The most important deities to focus on are the deity couple known as Izanagi and Izanami
• Izanami


  • Known as the mother of over many deities
  • Izanami is the goddess of life and death in Japanese mythology
  • In the Kojiki story, Izanami dies whilst giving birth to one of her children, and out of grief, Izanagi killed the newborn
• Izanagi


  • When Izanami was sent to the Yoimi, the land of the underworld, Izanagi wanted to get her back to the land of the living
  • The story goes that Izanami was given permission to leave the underworld
• Izanagi and Izanami


  1. Izanagi lit a torch and to his horror saw his wife's rotting body and flesh

  2. In fear, he fled the Yomi, and sealed it with a boulder to create a barrier between the land of the living and the dead
• Amaterasu


  • Izanagi perform Harai, and is said to have fathered Amaterasu, the celestial sun goddess in Shintoism
  • It is from her that the imperial family of Japan claims their descent and their historical right to rule over Japan
  • The emperor of Japan is known as the embodiment of the Divine Will of the heavens to take care of the world and all of the creation in it
• Animistic nature of Shintoism


  • Nature is sacred due to the presence of the kami or spirits
  • Many such kami have characteristics that seem to depend on their environment
  • Many temples and shrines are built along natural features such as rivers, mountains, and forests to revere and respect the spirits residing within
• Yokai


  Spirits that are both revered and feared as monsters and demons in Shinto
• Oni


  • In ancient Japanese folklore were seen as hulking ogres or demons
  • They were cannibals and were often seen as manifestations of evil
  • Nowadays they are more seen as protectors from evil spirits
• Mizuchi


  • In ancient Japanese mythology, Mizuchi were water spirits or water dragons that inhabited rivers
  • They would often spit venom and kill passersby who encroached on their territory
• Effects of Shintoism on Japanese tradition

  • Mt. Fuji is a sacred kami, specifically Princess Kkonohanasakuya-hime, an avatar of Japanese life
  • Harai is the purification ritual that was done by Izanagi, the idea of being one with the kami and nature
  • Misogi is a form of Harai ritual involving standing underneath a waterfall and committing prayers to become one with nature
  • Shubatsu is a Harai ritual usually done by sumo wrestlers, involving the sprinkling of salt into a sumo wrestling ring to purify the area and ward off evil spirits or yokai
• Influence of Shintoism on contemporary Japan


  • Contemporary Japan practices at least three major religions: Shintoism, Zen Buddhism, and Christianity
  • Shrine worship is a common practice in Japan, involving going through different kinds of ceremonies and paying respects to the different kami that may reside in shrines
  • The Torii is the gate of a Shinto temple, said to be a barrier between the spiritual and the earthly, and is often used as an entrance to many Shinto temples
  • Much of Japanese architecture is inspired by the Torii, and it has also become synonymous as a symbol of Japan