![]() It also does not require people to follow it as their only religion. Purification is an important par of Shinto worship, so people always wash their hands and rinse their mouth before they pray.įor most Japanese people, Shinto really is a way of life. People are thought to be good and evil is believed to be caused by evil spirits, so the purpose of most Shinto rituals is to keep evil spirits away by prayer and offerings like rice, water, dried fish or even a dance to the kami. This is because rice is such an important food in Japan. Inari, the rice producer, is also a very important kami. Amaterasu's symbol, the rising sun, is on the Japanese flag. It is rebuilt every 21 years and the torii entrance is on a beach, surrounded by water at high tide. Shinto believers try to visit the shrine of Ise at least once in their lifetime. The Sun Goddess Amaterasu is Shinto’s most important kami and her shrine is found at Ise. Exceptional people can become kami after they die. Kami are sacred spirits which take the form of things in the world around us like wind, rain, mountains and trees. Unlike many other religions, Shinto does not have a founder or a sacred book like the Bible. Unlike many religions, Shinto has no founder, no holiest place and no fixed set of prayers. Shinto is the traditional religion of Japan. Hamaya, decorative arrows sold at shrines at New Year's.The bamboo dippers in the purification trough at a shrine.The torii is the archway that is the gateway to a Japanese shrine.Look through the gallery and see if you can spot the following: Visiting shrines at New Year is the most popular shared national event in Japan. Visiting shrines and taking part in festivals is a way of bringing the Japanese communities together. Japanese marriage ceremonies are usually held at Shinto shrines but burials usually follow Buddhist customs. The Miko have to wear white kimonos and must not be married they are usually the priests’ daughters. Young women known as Miko help the priests during rituals. Shinto priests perform Shinto rituals and often live in the grounds of a shrine. Men and women can become Shinto priests, and they are allowed to marry and have children. Many Japanese people will have a tiny shrine in their homes, called a kami shelf, where they make offerings of flowers or food and say prayers. People can worship at home and at work too. In Shinto, people believe if the kami are treated properly, they will bring benefits like health, business success and good exam results. People pray at home or at a shrine to ask for support in all kinds of aspects of their life. This is where the kami or gods are thought to be. Many people in Japan practice both Shinto and Buddhism.Īs well as the archway entrance, the torii, large shrines have lots of other gates, bridges and fences to go through.Įach shrine contains an inner hall which only priests can enter. In the 20th century, worshipping the Japanese emperor was part of the Shinto faith.ġ0. In Shinto worship consists of hand-clapping, silent prayer and offerings made at the shrine.ĩ. Before people approach the kami at a shrine they must wash their hands and mouths, so shrines always have running water.Ĩ. Shrines are marked by large portals, sometimes painted red, called torii.ħ. ![]() A shrine is the name given to a building of Shinto worship.Ħ. Many people make pilgrimages to the mountain.ĥ. Japan’s Mount Fuji is home to the sun goddess Amaterasu. Many places of Shinto worship are in areas of natural beauty. The Shinto religion has such a large number of gods, it became called ‘the religion of the million gods’ there are up to 80 million different kami in Japan!Ĥ. ![]() There are about 100,000 registered shrines in Japan, dedicated to different kami.ģ. In Shinto, spiritual powers or gods are called kami. About 80% of the Japanese population attend Shinto shrines and ceremonies today.Ģ. ![]() Today Shinto has approximately 100 million followers and remains Japan’s major religion alongside Buddhism. Japanese people believe the kami will bring benefits like health, business success and good exam results, if they are treated properly. These spiritual powers or gods are called kami. Instead it is based on the belief that spiritual powers are thought to exist in the natural world in things like trees, animals, mountains and even people. Unlike many other religions, Shinto does not have a founder. The word Shinto means ‘the way of the gods’. Shinto is purely Japanese, the ancient religion of the country.
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