Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
REGION IX, ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE
HUMSS
GODOD 1 DISTRICT
GODOD NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
11
INTRODUCTION TO WORLD RELIGION AND BELIEFS SYSTEM
ACTIVITY SHEET
1ST SEM Q2 W6
Name: __________________________ Grade/Strand: ______________ Score: P_____ A _____
Teacher: Jianne Pearl F. De Torres Date: Jan.10 ,2022
LESSON 6: Shintoism

I. Background Information
Symbol The Torii Gate is the most common symbol for Shintoism. It is a sacred gateway supposed to
represent a gate upon which a cock crew on the occasion when Amaterasu emerged from the rock cave and
relighted the world. It marks the entrance to a sacred space which is the Shinto shrine. It represents the
transition between the world of humans and the world of the gods and goddesses. It is believed to help
prepare the visitor for their interaction with the spirits by signifying the sacredness of the location. It is
traditionally made of wood or stone, but now most toriis are made of concrete and steel.
Shinto is the traditional religion of Japanese people during the eight century C.E. It derives from 2
words, shin (meaning kami or gods), and to (or do, meaning path). The name Shinto means “the kami way” or
“the way of gods”. The Japanese thought it proper to give “kami-no-michi” an equivalent Japanese expression
that was patterned after its Chinese translation, which was shen-dao (shen means “gods” while dao means
way). “Shen-dao” was pronounced “shin-to” in Japanese, thus the religion called “kami-no-michi” in
Japanese has been formally called “Shinto.” It emphasizes the relationship between humans and a variety of
supernatural entities called kami which are associated with different aspects of life, including ancestors and
forces of nature.
Shinto practices center on tradition and family, love of nature, physical cleanliness and festivals and
ceremonies that honor the kami. Shinto does not have a schedule of regular religious services—followers
decide when they wish to attend a shrine. Japan has over 80,000 Shinto shrines, ranging greatly in size from
tiny to elaborate and large.

II. Learning Competencies

1. Examine the brief history, core teachings, fundamental beliefs, practices, and related issues of Shintoism ;
2. Appreciate the core teachings of Shintoism necessary for the enhancement of spiritual life ; and
3. Enumerate Shinto beliefs and practices.
III. Essential Concept
Shintoism
 Origins
Unlike many other religions, Shinto has no recognized founder. The peoples of ancient Japan had
long held animistic beliefs, worshipped divine ancestors and communicated with the spirit world via
shamans; some elements of these beliefs were incorporated into the first recognized religion practiced in
Japan, Shinto, which began during the period of the Yayoi culture (c. 300 BCE – 300 CE). For example,
certain natural phenomena and geographical features were given an attribution of divinity. Most obvious
amongst these are the sun goddess Amaterasu and the wind god Susanoo. Rivers and mountains were
especially important, none more so than Mt. Fuji, whose name derives from the Ainu name ‘Fuchi,’ the god of
the volcano.
In Shinto, gods, spirits, supernatural forces and essences are known as kami, and governing nature
in all its forms, they are thought to inhabit places of particular natural beauty. In contrast, evil spirits or
demons (oni) are mostly invisible with some envisioned as giants with horns and three eyes. Their power is
usually only temporary, and they do not represent an inherent evil force. Ghosts are known as obake and
require certain rituals to send away before they cause harm. Some spirits of dead animals can even possess
humans, the worst being the fox, and these individuals must be exorcised by a priest.

 Sacred Scriptures
The Kojiki and Nihongi are considered as sacred scriptures on Shinto, although they are not
exclusively about Shinto; they also contain extensive information on Buddhism and Confucianism. These
books, which are compilations of ancient myths and traditional teachings, are considered to have a dual
purpose: a political as well as a moral purpose. Its political purpose is to establish the supremacy of Japan
over all countries in the world by legitimizing the divine authority of the ruling families and to establish the
political supremacy of the Yamato. Its moral purpose is to explain the relationship between the kami and
human beings by establishing that the Japanese are a special people chosen by the kami, who have many
human like characteristics. It also emphasizes purification as both a creative and cleansing act. Death is
considered as the ultimate impurity.
a) Kojiki - As one of the most important texts on Shintoism, Kojiki is composed of three books: the first is
the age of kami, which narrates the mythology, while the second and third books discuss the imperial
lineage, narrating the events concerning the imperial family up to the death of the thirty-third ruler,
Empress Suiko. The third book is concerned mainly with revolts and love stories of successive rulers
intertwined in a song-story format. After providing rich information about what transpired up to the reign
of Emperor Kenzo, genealogy of each imperial family was discussed. The establishment of the three orders
are reflected in the three books: the establishment of the order of the universe, the establishment of the
order of humanity, and the establishment of the order of history. Even though it was written at the onset
of the spread of Buddhism in Japan and despite the fact that Emperor Genmei, to whom the Kojiki was
presented, was a Buddhist, there was no mention of Buddhism in the Kojiki. It just goes to show that
Kojiki is based on the eternal and cyclical world of mythology.
b) Nihon shoki/Nihongi
Meanwhile, the Nihon shoki or Nihongi records the descent of the Yamato rulers of Japan from the
gods. It represents a combination of a political purpose with folklores and myths. It is believed to have been
completed around 720 C.E. and have 6 become significant in the restructuring of Japan by the Yamato rulers,
even in the naming of the country as Nippon. It was presented to the court during the reign of Emperor
Gensho and is considered as Japan’s first official history which was completed after 39 years and compiled by
Jimmu Tenno’s third son, Prince Toneri, along with numerous bureaucrats and historians. It is composed of
30 books, the first two of which discuss the “age of the kami” while the remaining books chronicle the events
pertaining to the rulers up to the 41st emperor.
The stories in the Kojiki and Nihongi provide the Japanese people with a sense of pride, for these
scriptures narrate how their rulers were descended from the gods, and how their race was descended from the
gods as well. Some would even interpret that the whole of humanity descended from the two deities (Izanagi
and Izanami), thereby creating a sense of superiority among the Japanese people. We can also see in the
creation story the concept of dualism in Shinto, as shown by Izanagi as the sky god, and Izanami as the earth
mother, as well as with Amaterasu as the benevolent child and her brother Susa-no-Wo-no-Mikoto as
performing evil acts. The political legitimacy this myth provides the ruling families of Japan as well as the
sense of pride it provides the Japanese people have made the Japanese people develop a strong sense of
nationalism.

 Core teaching, Beliefs and Practices

1. Kami, the Shinto “gods”
- The divine principle in Shinto worship
- an honorific title for greatness and benevolence
- it can be manifestations of the sacred in nature or extraordinary people
In fact, all people have a potential kami, but not everyone is referred as such because it is an honorific
title reserved to a few entities, human or non-human (Ono 1962). The English term “god” for kami is open to
debate. It is easier to associate the word “god” with a personal being that is imbued with sacred, power, like
Hindu deities or the one God in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. A closer analysis of the word kami, however
suggests that it is closer to notions of the “power” and the “force” rather than a personal deity. It is mostly
associated with nature and thus impersonal in character (Kato 1973).
Earlier accounts of Shinto by outsiders (mainly religious scholars from Europe) viewed the religion as
polytheistic because they believe in many gods (kami in Japanese). These kami have personal names when
they are called on during worship officiated by a Shinto priest. It is, however, more accurate to say that
Shinto believes in sacredness manifested in nature, and while there are many kami, this sacred quality is all-
pervasive and encompasses each and all kami in Shinto worship (Picken 1994).7
Below are their names and functions:

Although Ameno-minaka-nushi-no-kami is the Kami of the Center of Heaven, it is actually Amaterasu-

o-mikami, the Kami of the Sun, that is revered as the highest in Shinto mythology and worship. Amaterasu-o-
mikami is the giver of all life on earth because of the sun’s life-giving rays. Likewise, the relationship of these
kami to Japan is profound and intimate. The Japanese Emperor is believed to be a direct descendant of the
kami because, according to the Kojiki, Ninigi-no-mikoto’s great grandson Jimmu is the first emperor of Japan.
From him, the succession of Japanese emperors bears direct lineage from the kami.
Some scholars classify the various kami into some basic types for a better view of their diversity. One
such classification (Urubshurow 2009, 503-505) distinguishes four general types of kami; thus:
1) Nature Kami - they include the kami of trees, animals, mountains
- geological entities (such as clay, stones, lightning, metals, stars, sun, moon, minerals, and
gemstones)
- food (especially agricultural foods)
- forms of water (such as wells, rivers, oceans, springs, storms, and rain).
2) Mythic Kami - they consist of all the kami mentioned in the Shinto myth or creation story which include
Izanagi, Izanami, Amaterasu, Tsukiyoma, and Susanowo.
3) Clan Kami - they include all the kami that serve as protectors of divine clans, foremost of which is the
kami Amaterasu, of whom the members of the imperial family
- the primary divine clan, are believed to be descendants through the first divine emperor Jimmu.
- They also include the kami of other (secondary) divine clans, such as the descendants of Jimmu’s
companions and the noble families who ruled Japan prior to the reign of Jimmu. As regards the Imperial
Family, Urubshurow (2009, 8 506) notes that, the members of the Imperial Family, being descendants of
Amaterasu, are all divine in nature
4) Guild Kami - they consist of all the kami worshipped by various guilds (associations of craftsmen and
artists)
- foremost of which are the kami worshipped by the guild of mirror makers (referring to the kami
believed to have made the mirror that enticed Amaterasu to get out of the cave she hid in for some time)
- the kami worshipped by the guild of jewellers (referring to the kami believed to have made the eight-
foot long string of 500 jewels worn by Amaterasu)
- the kami worshipped by the guild of dancers and geisha (referring to the kami Uzume who danced to
entertain Amaterasu).

Another classification (Picken 1994, 94-96) divides the kami into two categories; thus:
1. Kami of the Japanese mythology, which consist of the following:
a. Kami of Heaven (Amatsu-no-kami) b. Kami of Earth (Kunitsu-no-kami)
2. Kami not named in the mythology, which consist of the following:
a. Kami associated with natural phenomena c. Kami traceable to political origins
b. Kami derived from historical personalities d. Kami associated with commerce and prosperity

 Rites and Practices

1. Worship Shinto Shrine
Worship of the kami is done at the following places:
- at the shrines
- public shrines
- personal ones (those set up at homes).
Reasons and purposes why people visit shrines:
- to pray to the kami (prayers to the kami are called norito)
- to give praises to them
- to request for health, success in their endeavors (school, career,
business, etc.), safety in travels, and well-being of their loved ones.

A Shinto shrine is called jinja in Japanese (jinja literally means “place of the kami”), in contrast to the
Buddhist temples which are called tera in Japanese. Picken (1994, xxxi) estimates that Shinto, in 1994,
“comprises a loose agglomeration of approximately 800,000 shrines. Among these are 200 that are central
shrines of various kami, cults, or districts; and over 2,000 that could be called major shrines.”

There are certain ceremonies one goes through during a visit to a public shrine, like:
- washing one’s hands and mouth at a water basin located at the entrance to the shrine
- climbing the stairs leading to the haiden (the space in front of the place where the kami is enshrined)
- giving respect to the kami by bowing in front of them
- donating money
- ringing a bell and clapping several times (allegedly to get the attention of the kami),
- praying either silently or by chanting.
Sometimes Shinto devotees may perform the following:
- leave their prayer requests written on a piece of paper or
on small wooden plaques which they tie to the fences or branches
of a sacred tree near the kami’s shrine.
- During festival days, there are processions which people
may join and booths where they can buy souvenirs and amulets.
- Worship can also be done daily at home.
- set up a small Shinto shrine, called kamidana, at their
houses, sometimes in the garden area. Prayers and food offerings,
like rice and water, are done at the kamidana.
Shinto priests officiate the following:
- worship ceremonies at public shrines.
- They give their blessings on various occasions, such as when children are brought to a shrine a
month after birth and when they reach a certain age.
- The priests also perform ceremonies outside the shrines like during weddings held at homes or
hotels. The emperor has been traditionally considered as a high priest in Shinto (this is despite the
renunciation of the emperor of his divinity after the Second World War) and thus performs certain
ceremonies too.
- participates every spring in rice-planting ceremonies done in the palace to guarantee a good rice
harvest for the entire nation.
- he and his family annually visit the shrine of Ise to pray for the country.
The shrine at Ise, Mie, Japan
- is known as the Ise Grand Shrine, which is dedicated to sun goddess
Amaterasu
- considered the holiest among the Shinto shrines, for it is believed that
the sacred mirror of Amaterasu, one of three Imperial Regalia, is
preserved there. The emperor’s reign is inaugurated with Shinto rites;
and when he dies, he is buried with Shinto rites.

2. Purification Rituals
Shinto rituals are mainly purification rituals. Purification (oharai) - is the process of removing an
impurity (tsuml). Picken (2004, 176) explains that the state of purity is a necessary condition to be in
communion or harmony with the kami.
 Various forms of impurities:
1. Physical impurities - like sickness, injury, and death.
2.Moral impurities - like the acts of inflicting pain on other people, stealing properties of other
persons, killing, and others.
 Basic forms of Shinto purification rituals (Picken 2004, 172, 174).
1. Misogi - This is a form of purification that uses water. Worshippers, for instance, wash their hands with
water at the entrance of a shrine. A form of misogi is called misogi shuho, a ritual in which one stands under
a flowing waterfall. The devotee stands for some period of time while the water of the waterfall falls full-force
on his or her shoulders. Before the ritual, the devotee does some stretching and deep-breathing exercises and
is cleansed with a bit of salt. After the ritual, the devotee may drink sake (rice wine) with other practitioners
usually before a meal.
It is primarily based on Izanagi’s act of washing himself when he found himself dirty after going to the
underworld to see Izanami.
1. Shubatsu - This is a form of purification using salt. Salt is sprinkled by Shinto priests on the
objects, humans, or places to be purified.
2. Harai - This form of purification uses a harai-gushi, a wand consisting of a stick and streams of
paper attached to the stick. A Shinto priest waves a harai-gushi over the person, place, or object to be
purified.
3. Imi - This is a form of purification that one does to oneself by refraining from saying inappropriate
words and avoiding doing inappropriate actions. For instance, the word “cut” (kiru) is taboo in a wedding
ceremony. On the other hand, attending a party or a celebration is inappropriate when a loved one has just
died.
Major annual events and festivals celebrated in Shinto (see Picken 2004, 181)
1. Oshogatsu - New Year Celebration - This is the biggest celebration of the year.
- Before the holiday preparations the house is thoroughly cleaned for the kami who are invited to visit.
• They have their own decorations (kadomatsu, a special arrangement consisting of pieces of cut
green bamboo, small branches of pine, and leaves of plum).
• kind of food - mochi, a soft dough made of pounded rice.
- ozone, a special soup of vegetables and mocha.
- Men and women dress in kimono and make offerings to Shinto shrines
- they pray for blessings for the coming year, they also visit relatives and friends
- The overall spirit of celebrating the New Year is cleansing and the renewal of
life.
2. Haru Matsuri - Spring Festival - The purpose of holding this festival is to guarantee the safety of rice
planting.
3. Natsu Matsuri - Summer Festival - The purpose of holding this festival is to protect the crops from pests
and diseases during the hot seasons.
4. Aki Matsuri - Autumn Festival - The purpose of holding this festival is to express gratitude to the kami
for the gathered harvest. - This is a ritual of thanksgiving.
5. Setsubun-sai - The purpose of holding this festival is to drive away bad luck and invite good luck.
- This is done by throwing beans and a Shinto high priest firing an arrow. Worshippers later on take
the beans home for good luck.
 Denominations and Challenges
The following are the major forms of Shinto:
1. State Shinto or Kokka Shinto
➢ the form of Shinto that was made the national religion of Japan in 1882 when the Japanese
government (the Meiji government) was instilling patriotism among its citizens and establishing powerful
control over them by presenting the emperor as a divine being, with a status of a kami, being a descendant of
the sun goddess Amaterasu.
➢ the shrines were put under the control of the government (shrines were declared national
institutions)
➢ the rituals to be performed were listed, and a system of ranking priests was formalized (the system
of hereditary priesthood was abolished).
➢ it was abolished after the defeat of Japan in the Second World War in 1945, when the Japanese
surrendered to the Allies.
➢ became known as “Imperial Household Shinto” (Williams 2005, 119), which still performs the
“special Shinto practices at the three shrines within the grounds of the imperial palace” (Williams
2005,17,119).
2. Sect Shinto or Kyoha Shinto
➢ Under State Shinto, several Shinto shrines (most of which were run by different Shinto
organizations) were put under government control.
➢ were recognized by the government.
➢ collectively called by the government Sect Shinto or Sectarian Shinto. As Molloy (2010, 270) states:
“All other nongovernmental Shinto shrines and organizations were treated as independent, self-supporting
institutions and together were called Sect Shinto.”
➢ these are forms of Shinto that “did not receive state support” (Matthews 2010, 200). – this is seen
as a purely religious form of Shinto
➢ also called “Religious Shinto” (Williams 2005, 20). This means that Sect Shinto has features that
cannot be reconciled with or accommodated by the political objectives of State Shinto. During the Meiji
government (around 1868), there were 13 forms or organizations of Shinto that were classified under Sect
Shinto or Kyoha Shinto (Picken 1994, 37).
3. Shrine Shinto or Jinja Shinto
➢ refers to all forms of Shinto in which the shrines, regarded as the homes of the kami, are the
centers of Shinto religious activities.
❖ During the time when Shinto was flourishing in Japan and building its places of worship, there
were also many Buddhist temples that were established.
❖ To distinguish Shinto places of worship from Buddhist
• Buddhist places of worship called temples
• Shinto places of worship were called shrines.
4. Folk Shinto or Tsuzoka Shinto
➢ another forms of Shinto that were not put under government control
➢ not recognized by the government
➢ not organized, not systematized, and not institutionalized
➢ can be performed in the absence of Shinto priests
➢ it is called Folk Shinto because it is blended with folk culture and local beliefs, which have
influences from Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.
5. Shinto-based New Religions or Shinko Shukyo
➢ traditionally, only included 13 Shinto sects when they were recognized and distinguished from
State Shinto. But after World War II, new religious forms, called New Religions, emerged. Some of these new
religions were Buddhistbased while some were Shinto-based
➢ this was developed from some of the original 13 sects of Sect Shinto
➢ were then included in Sect Shinto (Williams 2005, 123). Based on the account of Matthews (2010,
201-202), Shinto sects are generally divided by Japan’s Agency of Cultural Affairs into three groups, based
on their history and unique practices, these are:
1. traditional sects
2. mountain worship sects
3. sects based on revelation – has 2 prominent sects
• Tenrikyo (“heavenly reason teaching”)
- it was founded by Nakayama Miki (1798-1887)
- is a spiritual healing group
- It teaches that physical health is a consequence of mental or spiritual health.
- it practices healing by faith
- its sacred texts consist of the poetry composed by Nakayama Miki that speaks of her revelations.
• Omoto-kyo (“great origin teaching”)—or simply Omoto
- was founded by Deguchi Nao (1836-1918)
- One striking teaching of Omoto is that all art is religious.
- it runs a school near Kyoto teaching traditional Japanese art to non- Japanese.
- it promotes world peace through the study and adoption of a universal language
 - It is said that Deguchi Nao, like Nakayami Miki, lived a very miserable life—extreme poverty, death
of her husband and three of her eight children, mental illness of her two children, among others. In her
moment of hopelessness, she had a vision urging her to lead the creation of a new, perfect world.

 Some Challenges and Issues

• First, its growth has been threatened by the growth of Buddhism in Japan and its association with
military build-up of Japan during World War II. Many have thought that Shinto would not survive after the
Second World War; but it did and it continues to flourish.
• Second, part of the appeal of Shinto is the importance it gives to nature. Shinto, in this regard, is
presenting itself as a religion of ecology. One challenge in this area is how to reconcile the seeming conflict
between this ecological ideal of Shinto and the pervasive Japanese commercial and business goals that
resulted in the decimation of the forests of Japan and other countries (Williams 2004, 140).
• Third, Shinto still generally lacks a strong institutional structure to enable it to spread outside of
Japan or to do missionary work. This is, however, compensated by the fact that the Japanese bring their
religious practices with them wherever they settle in
• Fourth, because of Shinto’s association with the Japanese government during World War II, how to
deal with questions concerning the divine status of the Japanese emperor remains as a challenge to Shinto.
❖ Williams (2004, 136) articulates such questions as follows:
1. “What does it mean for modern Japan, no longer culturally or militarily imperial, to have a divine
emperor?
2. “Can Shinto and Japan take responsibility for mistakes made and atrocities committed in the name
of a divine emperor? . . .
3. “Can the symbol of the divine emperor guide the Japanese people toward acceptance of the
responsibilities and possibilities of being human?

IV. Learning Activities

Activity 1: Essay Writing:
Directions: Write an essay in accordance to what you have learned about the topic for this week. Essay must
consist of not less than 250 words. Write your essay on a short bond paper.
“How will the core teachings of Shintoism enhance your spirituality as a student?”

V. Assessment
Directions: True or False. Read the following sentences and write True if the statement is correct and False if
the statement is wrong.
_____1. Shinto is Japan’s indigenous religion which means way of the gods.
_____2. Shinto has no human founder.
_____3. Shinto lacks a doctrine of the soul and has no Bible-like core text or a codified system of ethics.
_____4. Shinto is concern more with community than with the individual, with performing rituals rather than
with doctrines and believing.
_____5. Japanese people visit church while performing rituals and festivals.

VI. Reflection
Directions: Complete the statements.
In this lesson, I learned about …
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I must observe the _________________________________________________________________________________________
As a student, it is important for me to be____________________________________________________________________

VII. References
 Department of Education, Introduction to World Religion and Beliefs System, s. 2016 pages 3-10
 CG/MELCS page 617

Answer keys
Activity 1: Answer may Vary
Assessment: 1. True, 3.True
Prepared By:
Jianne Pearl F. De Torres
Subject Teacher