Belief System

Shinto, unlike many other religions, has no set of dogma. No kami is the holiest, no place is holier than another, and no defined set of prayers. It more a collection of rituals and methods that mediate relations between human beings and kami. As was mentioned on the home page, kami are gods, nature spirits, or spiritual presences.

There are four types of shinto: State, Shrine, Sect, and Folk. State Shinto came into existence after the Meiji Restoration, and was meant to be a purified form. Shrine Shinto is the oldest and most prevalent kind. Sect Shinto is made of 13 groups which were formed during the 19th century, and have no shrines; the sects include mountain-worshipping, faith-healing, purification, Confucian, and Revival Shinto. Folk Shinto includes the folk beliefs in deities and spirits; practices include divination, spirit possession, and shamanic healing.

The most prevalent theme in this religion is the great love and reverence the followers have for nature.

Practice and Teaching

There are four affirmations in Shinto: tradition and family, love of nature, physical cleanliness, and matsuri (festivals in which worship and honor is given to the kami). The family is seen as the main mechanism in preserving traditions.

Nothing is a sin in Shinto, per se. There are certain acts that create a sort of ritual impurty that one should clean only for one's own peace of mind and good fortune. Evil and wrong doings are called kegare, which literally means dirtiness. Kiyome means purity. Killing anything should be done with gratitude and reverence for taking life to continue one's own and should be kept to a minimum. Showing proper respect is very important because the failure to do so can be seen as a sign of pride and lack of care for others. Such negligent people will only bring harm upon themselves. The worst of these "sins" is taking the life of another for enjoyment or personal advancement. Those who are killed in such a manner will hold urami, or a grudge, and become aragami, a powerful and evil kami seeking revenge.

Purification is a vital part of Shinto. New buildings are always blssed by a Shinto priest during groundbreaking ceremonies, and even new cars made in Japan are blessed as part of the assembly process. Purification by water is also popular.

Shrines are used for the worship of kami, and are public, though private shrines are also used. Shrines have torii, a distinctive Japanese gate, which is made of two uprights and two crossbars. They serve as part of the barrier to separate the living world and the world of the kami. Two guardian animals are often placed at each side of the gate to protect the entrance. Currently, there are over 100,000 shrines in operation. Kami are invoked at many important ceremonies, such as weddings and entrance into an university. For funerals, Buddhism is usually looked upon because Shinto focuses on how to live one's life as opposed to how to prepare for the afterlife.

The kami which are so often mentioned collectively are called Yaoyorozu no Kami, which literally means 8 million kami. It is not meant to be an exact number, but a representation of an infinite number. The most widely worshipped kami is Amaterasu, the sun goddess.

Until World War II, the emperor was seen as a descendant of Amaterasu and as the father of all Japanese. He was an ikigami, or living kami. In 1946, emperor Hirohito renounced his divine state under American pressure. The imperial family remains deeply involved with Shinto to this day.