 The
Shinto religion of Japan is considered, along with Buddhism as the official
religion of Japan. Over 80% of
the population of Japan is either Buddhist or Shintoist.
It is interesting to note that while most weddings are performed by
Shinto priests most funerals are conducted by Buddhist priests!
We believe that Shinto was
the earliest Japanese religion. Experts
do not have much information about the beginning of the Shinto traditions,
but we do know that Shintoism started around the middle of the first
millennium BC. As the Yamato
dynasty consolidated its rule over Japan around the 6th century
AD, the adoption of the Shinto religion seems to have accelerated. The
name, "Shinto" means "The Way of the Gods" in Chinese -
'shin tao'.
The Shinto religion is
unusual when compared to other ancient spiritual traditions in several key
aspects. For one thing, the
Shinto religion is not based on any body of religious law.
Most religions can trace their concepts back to one or more ancient
texts that define what laws are to be followed, at the very least.
Some religions, for example Buddhism have centuries of writings that
are rich in philosophy and interpretation of the original teachings of the
founder.
Some experts have
described the Shinto religion as "an amorphous mix of nature worship,
fertility cults, divination techniques, hero worship, and shamanism."
The closest thing that Shintoists have to a code is the Chinese
doctrine of Confucianism. The
Shinto religion also does not have a strong tradition of training leaders to
administer the religion. There
is a Shinto priesthood, but the organization does not involve the complex
system of training and hierarchy that you would find in Buddhism, for
example.
At the time in history
when the Shinto religion gained popularity in Japan, the Japanese Imperial
family was looked upon as the origin of anything divine.
The Yamato dynasty ruled Japan at the time.
However, despite the association of the Imperial family with the
divine, the Shinto religion does not have an identifiable founder also
unusual for ancient religions. One
interesting fact to note is that this association of the Imperial family
with the divine continued in Japan until the end of World War II.
The Japanese emperor was required to give up his divine status as
part of the treaty with the United States of America.
Shinto belief revolves
around "Kami" or deities. Kami
can be related to natural forces, elements or animals.
The term Kami can also be applied to abstract concepts.
Finally, Kami can be applied to highly skilled or good, compassionate
people. When the Imperial
family was still considered divine, the Emperor had this designation.
There are "Four Affirmations" in Shinto that revolve
around the family, love of nature, physical cleanliness and ancestral
worship called "matsuri" in Japanese.
These are considered the most important elements of a person’s
life.
Natural places, such as
mountains or rivers are recognized as shrines, and followers of the Shinto
religion are expected to visit certain shrines to mark important life
events, such as reaching a certain age or stage of life.
Shrines are dedicated to a specific Kami.
This is similar to the Hindu religion where there are many gods and
goddesses and worshippers follow and pray to those with whom they feel the
most affinity.
Animals are respected as
messengers of gods. If you
visit a Shinto temple, you will find a pair of 'Koma-inu' or guardian dog
statues at the entrance. The
Shinto religion also involves are seasonal celebrations and has close ties
of Shinto practice to nature. One
final note on the Shinto religion is that one characteristic of this set of
traditions is that the beliefs are firmly rooted in optimism.
That is a good basis for any set of spiritual practices!
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