Shintoism
Shintoism
Introduction
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Shintoism, Shintoism or Shintō, is a Japanese religion with more than 108 million practitioners, being
the second religion with the most followers in Japan and a fundamental pillar of Japanese culture.
It differs from other religions in several aspects, but the most notable is that it does not have a founder,
sacred scriptures or a specific god; its gods are the Kami (Kami is the Japanese for God) which have a
natural origin. Some kami are local and are known as spirits or genies of a particular place, but others
represent larger natural objects and processes, for example, Amaterasu, the Sun goddess.
Rain, wind or sun are represented by the “Kamis”. These are the
gods to whom one prays to obtain favors. There are good Kamis like
“Inari” or bad ones like “Tengu”. Shintoists seek peaceful and
harmonious coexistence with the “Kamis”.
This is how, through offerings and rituals, they obtain or seek the
favor and approval of their god. There are Shinto shrines where
believers go to make their requests and practice Shintoism.
Shinto priests can be both men and women. They live inside the
sanctuary and are allowed to have 1 children. However, a sanctuary
can be set up anywhere.
These shrines placed in houses usually contain a loft and images of
the different members of the family who have already passed away.
Offerings are usually food (the same food the family eats, or their
favorite food when they are alive), drinks, flowers, jewelry, and
even money. It is about offering something that that person valued
in life.
Shintoism lacks dogma or theology.
Origins
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It does not have a defined date of origin, since it was part of the ethnic culture of Japan and lacked a specific
name in its beginnings.
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The Japanese chose the Chinese term Shinto (meaning “Way of the Gods”) to differentiate this cult from
Buddhism – which was introduced in Japan in the 6th century – and because they did not yet have a
developed written language.
Like many Asian religions, it was linked to country life, the veneration of ancestors, the forces of nature,
the belief in the soul and its union with the body after death.
Japan was settled by colonists hundreds of years ago, and its inhabitants lived in the countryside as farmers,
dependent on nature and the cycles of the seasons, which were believed to be beneficially influenced by
ritual. To achieve this, they devised a series of practices that were carried out by shamans and later by
emperors.
Types of Shintoism
Koshintsu Shinto: Rite performed by the Emperor of Japan, who prays to the most ancestral deities for
the prosperity of the country and world peace.
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Jinja Shinto: Ritual that takes place inside temples. It is considered the original rite or form of religion
and its origin is ancient. It is about thanking the “kamis” for their kindness and praying for prosperity
and peace.
Shuha Shinto: A branch of Shinto that carries out individual activities.
They join other schools (Buddhism, Confucianism) with a monotheistic character.
Minzoku Shinto: It is the most popular and folkloric ) and in extreme cases, they have a
Shintoism. Practiced by
who carries out his rituals (on his own) related to the year that has already
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passed and to daily life. e
-When entering a shrine, one passes through a Torii, a special
gate for the gods, which marks the passage between the finite
world and the infinite world of the gods.
-In the past, believers practiced the purification rite or "misogi",
consisting of washing their bodies in a river near the sanctuary.
-Believers respect animals as messengers of the gods. This is why a
pair of "koma-inu" (guard dog) statues are always found at the
shrine.
-Kagura are ritual dances accompanied by ancient musical
instruments (performed by expert and trained dancers).
-In many homes a central place is given to the gods with an altar
called "Kami-dana".
-Origamii (paper figures): They are often seen around Shinto
shrines. Out of respect for the tree from which the paper for
origami was extracted, it is never cut.
Influences
Since the introduction of Buddhism into Japan in the 6th century, it has had a profound influence on Shinto,
although the latter has also been adapted and shaped in this country to give it a distinctive form. Both
religions define Japanese religiosity; the Japanese tend to practice the rites of both traditions depending on the
nature of the occasion (they tend to prefer Shinto for birth and marriage rituals, and Buddhism for funeral
rites).
Because Shintoism does not seek to convert, criticize or conflict with other religions,
religions, their expansion outside the islands of Japan has generally been limited to the
Japanese emigration communities; although in the roots of martial arts
modern traditional or gendai budo; from sumo, aikido, and judo, its influence can be seen especially in its
philosophy and rituals, as pacifist martial arts, and of a defensive nature.
