REL2300 July 9th Indigenous religious tradition of Japan Nippon Wei Wei o Nippon uncultured distant far from civilization In Japanese Shen Do the Way of Spirits Called so after the name for Butsu do the Way of Buddha Shinto Origins of Shinto Shinto o E Kamis unpredictable Goal of Japanese life The Myth of Creation Myth of Creation Motifs Kami No Michi The Way of Kamis or Spirits Kamis active in nature Is to live in Harmony with Kamis How can such harmony be achieved o This is explained in the Myth of Creation In the beginning there was nothing It was absolute chaos which somehow came to be resided by several Kamis From amongst these Kamis two of them became primordial or cosmic Kamis They are Izanami and Izanagi Which literally means female who invites and male who invites respectively Four main motifs for careful attention 1 Izanami and Izanagi gave birth to other Kamis one was Fire Kami o Izanami burned became ugly o Embarrassed by her looks she goes to underworld o Izanagi searches for her o He becomes dirty takes a purifying bath in ocean Motif Purification Rite 2 As Izanagi washed spirits emerged o Sun Goddess Amatesaru o Moon God Tsukiyomi o From Amatesaru came Jimmu first emperor of Japan Motif Emperors sacred in Japanese religious tradition JANET S I 3 As Izanagi cam from the underworld o His spear or sword penetrated the ooze o Drops fell off becoming the Islands of Japan o Japan has 4 main large islands Motif Japan is Heaven on Earth 4 Fire Kami goes on creating pollution and Evil and Izanagi in keeping with the speed of Fire Kami goes on creating Good o There is strife between evil and good we humans must adjust with it Motif Harmony Accommodations of 3 traditions Shinto shrines often have place for Buddhist worship Buddhist temples have a Shinto shrine Shinto adopted practices of o Venerating statues and using incense o Confucian family loyalty and ancestor veneration Japanese Syncretism Japanese are o Buddhist in matters of rituals ceremonies and worship o Strong sense of Shinto traditions o Filial piety becomes cornerstone of life as in China o Taoism reflected in art architecture poetry and literature Chronicles of Japan The Kojiki 712 A D The Nihongi 720 A D Worship at shrines o They are written after the accounts given in Chinese literature Entrance to Torii Shinto shrine Pass through the gateway Wash your hands and mouth at water basin inside the entrance Kami is enshrined in a room where the worshipers go o Bow and ring bell to get Kami s attention Daily worship occurs in small shrines called kamidan found in every house Shinto Traditions Special Festivals Matsuri 7 5 3 Girls brought to shrines for blessings at the ages 3 and 7 boys at age 5 Shamans are generally females o Have special powers to communicate with Kamis who can foretell what lies in the future
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