Shinto is a unique religion in many ways, in part because it is so tied to the history of a specific location, Japan, and because it can be classified as polytheistic, pantheistic, or even animistic in nature. It developed in 500 BCE and has no known founder. In this, it is like an indigenous religion, particularly because Shinto venerates natural objects and because it is not a united religion. Different parts of Japan have different elements that are venerated. The primary type of supernatural being for this religion is/are the kami.
Kamiis both a singular and pluralistic term which makes it a bit more complicated. Kami are venerated in family shrines calledkamidanaand in over 80,000 public shrines scattered around the island country. Kami are often associated with location –if you are familiar with anime, I’m sure you’ve seen elements of this with Kami of Dragonball Zfame, and the tree shrine from Inuyasha. Kami can be anything from the spirits of nature –such as an unusual tree, volcano, rock, or waterfall, to ancestor spirit, deified heroes and even village founders. Living people, like the emperor, can be declared living kami as well –this is something that happened during World War II with Emperor Hirohito.
At the end of the war, the treaties with Japan forbade deification of the emperors because this action allowed for the creation of a state religion. Soldiers would fight and die not only for the country, but for god. Prayers to the kami are for blessings and to keep the gods appeased (and thus not damaging anything or enraged in destructive elements). The kami are worshipped in shrines that hold sacred objects, such as mirrors (especially in the case of Ameratsu, the Japanese sun goddess), swords, rocks, beads and inscriptions. Usually,only the priests can see these.
Priests are usually male and may come from a lineage of priests. Women can be priests as well, but they are usually referred to as “shrine maidens” and serve more as assistants to the priest. The shrine maidens, who are unmarried, are usually trained in the arts, such as cooking or calligraphy, in order to eventually mature into marriage material. The kami help to describe the laws of natural order, but they also host stories that focus on nobility, purity, conformity and productivity.
Shinto’s primary emphasis is on ritual purity (herae) which is best displayed through the use of ritual immersion in the sea. Shines are often marked by sacred tori, gates that divide the mundane world from the shrine. Washing is often a partof the worship ritual as well and takes place with the visitation of the shrine. One of the Shinto creation stories describes the origin of this focus. A brother and sister, Izanagi and Izanami, were tasked with creating life on the newly formed earth.
The two walked around the earth’s pillar and met on the other side. Izanami spoke first to her brother and then they proceeded to populate the world. However, all of the children she gave birth to, like leeches and muck, were monsters. The two decided to replicate the ritual of walking around the pillar, but this time Izanagi spoke first. This worked –Izanami gave birth to the Japanese islands and many wonderful creations. However, the birth of her last child, fire, was difficult and Izanami was badly burned. She died from her injuries. Izanagi placed her body in a cave, but several days later returned to visit his wife.
At this time, Izanami had begun to decompose. When Izanagi saw her she was outraged and chased him. Izanagi, horrified by her wretched appearance and terrified by her behavior, ran from the cave and slammed a bolder in the front, thus trapping his sister forever. In this, then, we have the division of life and death. Izanagi went to wash himself of the experience. He dippedhis hand in the water and washed his face. From his right eye, the water transformed into the goddess of the sun, from his left, the god of the moon. The water that dripped from his nose became the god of the wind. And thus, purification represents thecontinuation of life. Other elements of the Shinto religion include the kagura, the ritual dances, age celebrations, and seasonal festivals (matsure). There is, in fact, a strong emphasis on human gatherings and rituals. If you want a fun subdivision of Japanese belief, check out the yokai, beings which are very similar to the kami. Several cartoon shows have been made about these spiritual creatures –which encompass everything from urban legends, abstract emotions, souls given to objects over 100 years old, and lesser nature spirits –and they make for highly interesting research. As an aside, according to Japanese tradition, the tortoise is a haven for immortals and the world mountain. They symbolize longevity, good luck, and support. The tortoise is the symbol of the god of seafaring people, Kompira. This is a little ironic because tortoises are LAND BASED animals and CANNOT swim. Nonetheless, it’s a neat side note to have as a tortoise owner, even if my dear Artemesia is the crankiest most cantankerous pet I’ve ever owned.
Do additional research on Shinto. Include at least one strong academic link that helped you understand more about the religion. Now, complete more research on kame or yokai. Once you have an idea of what these are, contemplate what kind of kame or yokai would exist where you live. Do some creative writing — create your own kame or yokai. With this assignment, you must include a visual image (insert as a photograph into a word document).
With your submission, be sure to have a short essay portion that answers the following questions:
What is the name of your creation?
What does it look like (be sure that this is reflected in the image!)
What is its origin?
What does it represent and why did you select this idea as the basis to this assignment?
Submit the completed assignment.
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