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See also:
Hemp in religion,
Marijuana
"Hempen Culture in Japan".
An Overview of Shinto
From:
An Overview of Shinto (http://www.religioustolerance.org)
Hempen rope and paper in oldest shrine in Saitama
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Hempen paper and raw fibre
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Brief History of Shinto
Shinto is an ancient Japanese religion. Starting about 500 BCE (or earlier) it was
originally "an amorphous mix of nature worship, fertility cults, divination
techniques, hero worship, and shamanism."(4) Its name was derived from the
Chinese words "shin tao" (The Way of the Gods) in the 8th Century CE. At that
time:
 | Members of the Yamato tribe became the ceremonial leaders in Japan. |
| Divine origins were ascribed to the imperial family. |
| Shinto became the official religion of Japan. |
The separation of Japanese religion from politics did not occur until just after World
War II.
"Shinto has no real founder, no written scriptures, no body of religious law,
and only a very loosely-organized priesthood." (5)
Shinto Beliefs
| Most Japanese citizens follow two religions: both Shinto and Buddhism.
Buddhism first arrived in Japan from Korea and China during the 8th century CE. The two
religions share a basic optimism about human nature, and for the world. Within Shinto, the
Buddha was viewed as another "Kami" (nature deity). Meanwhile, Buddhism
in Japan regarded the Kami as being manifestations of various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. |
| Shinto does not have as fully developed a theology as do most other religions. |
| Their religious texts discuss the "High Plain of Heaven" and the "Dark
Land" which is an unclean land of the dead, but give few details. |
| Shinto creation stories tell of the history and lives of the "Kami." Among
them was a divine couple, Izanagi and Izanami, who gave birth to the Japanese islands.
Their children became the deities of the various Japanese clans. Amaterasu (Sun Goddess)
was one of their daughters. She is the ancestress of the Imperial Family. Her descendants
unified the country. Her brother, Susano-no-mikoto came down from heaven and roamed
throughout the earth. He is famous for killing a great evil dragon. |
| The Sun Goddess is regarded as the chief deity. There are numerous other deities who are
conceptualized in many forms:
 | Those related to natural objects and creatures, from "food to rivers to
rocks." (2) |
| Guardian Kami of particular areas and clans |
| Exceptional people, including all but the last of the emperors. |
| Abstract creative forces |
They are seen as benign; they sustain and protect. There are no concepts which compare
to the Christian beliefs in the wrath of God, His omnipotence and omni-presence, or the
separation of God from humanity due to sin.
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| Ancestors are deeply revered and worshipped. |
| All of humanity is regarded as "Kami's child." Thus all human life and human
nature is sacred. |
| Believers revere "musuhi", the Kamis' creative and harmonizing powers.
They aspire to have "makoto", sincerity or true heart. This is regarded
as the way or will of Kami. |
| Morality is based upon that which is of benefit to the group. "Shinto emphasizes
right practice, sensibility, and attitude." (2) |
| There are "Four Affirmations"in Shinto:
- Tradition and the family: The family is seen as the main mechanism by which
traditions are preserved. Their main celebrations relate to birth and marriage
- Love of nature: Nature is sacred; to be in contact with nature is to be close to
the Gods. Natural objects are worshipped as sacred spirits.
- Physical cleanliness: They take baths, wash their hands, and rinse out their
mouth often
- "Matsuri": This is a festival which honors the spirits.
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| The desire for peace, which was suppressed during World War II, has been restored. |
Shinto Practices
| Shinto recognizes many sacred places: mountains, springs, etc. |
| Each shrine is dedicated to a specific Kami who has a divine personality and responds to
sincere prayers of the faithful. When entering a shrine, one passes through a Tori
a special gateway for the Gods. It marks the demarcation between the finite world and the
infinite world of the Gods. |
| In the past, believers practiced "misogi,", the washing of their bodies
in a river near the shrine. In recent years they only wash their hands and wash out their
mouths in a wash basin provided within the shrine grounds. |
| Believers respect animals as messengers of the Gods. A pair of statues of "Koma-inu"
(guard dogs) face each other within the temple grounds. |
| Shrine ceremonies, which include cleansing, offerings, prayers, and dances are directed
to the Kami. |
| Kagura are ritual dances accompanied by ancient musical instruments. The dances
are performed by skilled and trained dancers. They consist of young virgin girls, a group
of men, or a single man. |
| Mamori are charms worn as an aid in healing and protection. There come in many
different forms for various purposes. |
| An altar, the "Kami-dana" (Shelf of Gods), is given a central place in
many homes. |
| Seasonal celebrations are held at spring planting, fall harvest, and special
anniversaries of the history of a shrine or of a local patron spirit. A country-wide
National Founding Day is held on FEB-11 of each year. Other festivals include: JAN 1-3
Oshogatsu (New Year); MAR-3 Ohinamatsuri (Girls' festival); MAY-5 Tango no Sekku (Boys'
festival); JUL-7 Hoshi Matsuri (Star festival). |
| Followers are expected to visit Shinto shrines at the times of various life passages.
For example, the "Three-five-seven matsuri" involves a blessing by the
shrine Priest of girls aged 3 and 7 and boys aged 5. It is held on NOV-15. |
| Many followers are involved in the "offer a meal movement." in which
each individual bypasses a breakfast (or another meal) once per month and donates the
money saved to their religious organization for international relief and similar activity.
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| Origami ("Paper of the spirits"): This is a Japanese folk art in which
paper is folded into beautiful shapes. They are often seen around Shinto shrines. Out of
respect for the tree spirit that gave its life to make the paper, origami paper is never
cut. |
Forms of Shinto
Approximately 100 years ago, Shinto was divided into:
| Jinja (Shrine Shinto): This is the largest Shinto group. It was the original form
of the religion; its roots date back into pre-history. Until the end of World War II, it
was closely aligned with State Shinto. The Emperor of Japan was worshipped as a
living God. Almost all shrines are members of Jinja Honcho, the Association of
Shinto Shrines. |
| Kyoha (Sectarian Shinto) This consists of 13 sects which were founded by
individuals since the start of the 19th century. |
| Folk Shinto This is not a Shinto sect; it has no formal central organization or
creed. It is seen in local practices and rituals. e.g. small images by the side of the
road, agriculture rituals practiced by individual families, etc. |
These three forms are closely linked. An image may be installed by a member of one of
the Sectarian Shinto sects who worships at a particular shrine. Shinto is a tolerant
religion which accepts the validity of other religions. It is common for a believer to pay
respect to other religions, their practices and objects of worship.
Shinto Texts
Many texts are valued in the Shinto religion. Most date from the 8th century CE:
| The Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters) |
| The Rokkokushi (Six National Histories) |
| The Shoku Nihongi or Nihon Shoki (Continuing Chronicles of Japan) |
| The Jinno Shotiki (a study of Shinto and Japanese politics and history) was
written in the 14th century |
Number of Adherents
Estimates of the number of adherents are hopelessly unreliable. Some sources give
numbers in the range of 2.8 to 3.2 million. One states that 40% of Japanese adults follow
Shinto; that would account for about 50 million adherents. Others state that about 86% of
Japanese adults follow a combination of Shinto and Buddhism; that would put the number of
followers of Shinto at 107 million.
One source estimates 1000 followers of Shinto in North America. The Canadian Census
(1991) recorded only 445 in Canada.
Some Internet References
Initially published on 1995-NOV-24
Latest update on 1999-MAR-30
Author: B.A. Robinson
See also:
Hemp in religion,
Marijuana
"Hempen Culture in Japan".
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