Meridian Magazine :: Shinto: the Way of the Gods

Shinto: the Way of the Gods
By Daniel C. Peterson and William J. Hamblin

The traditional national religion of Japan is Shinto. In many ways it is more than a religion: Shinto is a reflection of Japanese sensitivities, culture, attitudes and nationalism. In some ways it could be described as the veneration of Japaneseness.

The word Shinto derives from the Chinese shen tao, meaning the “way of the gods”—the Japanese actually call it kami no michi. The word kami is somewhat difficult to translate, with meanings including spirit, sacred power, divine being or god. Shinto beliefs are often described as animistic: the power of kami is thought to reside in mountains, cliffs, caves, stones, trees, springs and rivers. (Thus, in some ways the Japanese garden can be seen as creating a shrine for the kami by the ritual imitation and veneration of nature.) The mythologies of the kami were collected in the eighth century AD in two great books: the Kojiki and the Nihongi, both of which have been translated into English. Although not possessing the status of scripture, these works nonetheless provide the foundation for the Shinto worldview.

Lacking an historical founder like Moses or Muhammad, the origins of Shinto are to be found in the tribal worship of nature spirits in prehistoric times. Since the time of the legendary first emperor of Japan, Jimmu Tenno (seventh century BC), the beliefs, priests, rites, shrines and gods of the emperor were nationalized. Since then Japan has been at least nominally ruled by descendants of Jimmu Tenno, who himself is considered a descendant of the sun-goddess Amaterasu. Although forced to renounce claims to divinity by the Allies after the defeat of Japan in 1945, the Japanese emperor is nonetheless in some ways one of the few surviving examples of archaic divine kingship.

Humans are seen as the children of the kami, although their divine nature needs to be “polished.” This is done both through outward purification rituals and through “purity of heart,” requiring following basic moral virtues. Purification from moral and ritual defilement is an important ritual, often taking the form of ritual washings. As with many other ancient religions, the kami are worshipped largely for the benefits they can offer in this life: prosperity, protection, healing, fertility and other blessings.

Japanese Shinto temples are among the jewels of world sacred architecture, often nestled in beautiful groves or natural settings. The worshipper passes through the pillared gateway (torii), often defended by two lion statues, then proceeds down a sacred path surrounded by elegant landscaping. A basin of water is available for purification, while the symbol of the kami is kept in an ornately carved wooden shrine. The largest and finest temple in Japan is the temple to the Sun-goddess Amaterasu at Ise, which is visited by nearly ten million worshippers a year.

Shinto worship focuses on traditional rites, prayers, abstinence, and offerings at shrines on festivals and holy days such as the Spring and Autumn Festivals. The rituals of the great Shinto festivals rigorously follow a set pattern. First, both the temple and worshippers must be purified. Then, following the lead of the high priest, all worshippers bow in adoration of the kami of the temple. The door to the inner sanctuary is opened by the high priest, and offerings are made. Since blood is thought to bring the pollution of death, offerings include things such as rice, sake, fish, seaweed, vegetables, fruit, sprigs of sacred trees, and money. Extended veneration of the kami takes the form of prayers, music, hymns and dancing under the direction of the temple priests. When the worship is concluded, the door to the shrine is closed, and the worshippers make a bow in adoration, after which they celebrate a sacred feast in communion with the kami.

Worshipers are brought before the kami at the temples on special personal days of transition, such as birth and the “Coming of Age” ceremony for those turning twenty. Traditional Japanese will often have a small home altar for private worship.

Lacking a clearly defined theology, Shinto has taken many forms throughout history. Nonetheless, all branches of Shinto share a set of basic beliefs and practices. Furthermore, Shinto is a syncretistic religion, absorbing and adapting a broad range of religious influences, permitting its followers to simultaneously pursue other sacred paths. Thus, Shinto has been strongly influenced by a number of outside ideas, largely from China, including Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism. Most Japanese today practice a mixture of Buddhism and Shinto.

Editors' Note: Only about 4 million people worldwide (nearly all of them in Japan) claim Shinto as their religion. Individual Shinto organizations and shrines are able to claim at least 80% of the Japanese population as "members" due to community-based record-keeping practices that date back hundreds of years. But few Japanese think of themselves as Shintoists.