Shinto Overview

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Shinto Overview

• Matthew Ripley-Moffitt
• World Cultures
• Cary Academy

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Shinto

• Traditional religion of island nation of Japan
• Izanagi and Izanami (great-grandfather
  great-grandmother created Japan as image of the
  perfect world
• Sun Goddess Amaterasu was first among the spirit
  rulers lineage of Japanese Emperors
• Sword, Mirror, and Jewel are three gifts to
  leaders of Yomato clan Imperial symbols

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Shinto religion

• No founder
• No sacred text
• No developed religious philosophy
• No specific moral code
• Word Shinto only came into use after
  Confucianism and Buddhism came to Japan

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major emphasis - Cleanliness

• Ritual washing
• Neatness and Order
• Personal sincerity
• Code of honor and respect for living things
• Appreciation for beauty of nature
• Preference for simplicity

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Worship three essential elements

• Purification almost always involving water
• Offering to the Kami food or money
• Prayer thanksgiving for past petition for
  future

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The Torii Gate marks the separation between the
outside world and the sacred world of the kami,
divine nature spirits.
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The Ise Shrine complex is the most sacred of
all Shinto shrines. It contains the shrine of
Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess and is
associated with the Imperial family. Another
major shrine, to Geku - the god of harvests, is
also located in this large shrine area. About
125 smaller shrines can be found along the gravel
paths linking the ancient groves of cedar trees
along the Isuzu River. The running water of the
Isuzu river gives worshippers a place to ritually
cleanse their hands and mouths. The sounds of
the gravel paths remind visitors to move quietly
feeling the presence of the kami.
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Visitors pass through a Torii at each end of the
bridge over the Isuzu River entering Ise Shrine.
The sound and sight of the river serves as a
reminder that this is a sacred place, home to the
divine nature spirits.
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Shinto priests are offering prayers and bamboo
twigs to the kami on June 21 in thanks for
protection during the first half of the year and
entreating their continued assistance during the
second half of the year.
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Another Torii marks the entrance to the shrine of
Amaterasu. Only high ranking priests and members
of the royal family can enter the main grounds of
the shrine
The sacred mirror given by Amaterasu to her
greatgreat grandson Ninigi, who was sent to rule
the earth for the kami, is kept within the shrine.
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On this day, clouds of mist enhance the mystery
of being in the presence of Amaterasau Omikami
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Torii Gate Symbol of Shinto shrines, divides
sacred space from ordinary space, passage to the
dwelling place(s) of the kami, literally
bird-dwelling double uplifting beams represent
bird wings reaching to the skies
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The entrance to Shinto shrines also include
ritual purification pouring water over the
hands and rinsing ones mouth symbolizes
cleansing from impurities or pollution the
water source is often moving, flowing, living
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