Shintoism: History, Beliefs, and Japanese Culture

Introduction

Shinto is the name given to a loosely organized religion of Japan. Its practices and beliefs are intertwined with Japanese culture in complex ways, and the recognition of Shinto as a religion by the Japanese coincides with the organization of Japan into one unified country (Nobutaka et al., 2003). Shinto has been profoundly affected over the centuries by other influences, notably Buddhism and the teachings of Confucius.

The word Shinto means "the way of the gods." While it is viewed by non-Japanese as the major religion of Japan, many Japanese consider themselves both Shinto and Buddhist (Miller, 1998). Although Shinto has been influenced by other philosophies and religions, it is generally considered an indigenous religion — that is, the beginnings of Shinto emerged naturally as Japanese society developed. Those core beliefs are still present and remain an important part of Shintoism. This makes Shintoism distinctly different from many other world religions, which were founded by specific individuals with specific teachings. Examples include Christianity and Islam (Nobutaka et al., 2003, p. 1).

History of Shintoism

The roots of Shintoism go back to 500 BCE or even earlier (Author not given, 2004). It began as a mix of nature worship, fertility rites, attempts at divination, and a growing reverence for early heroes. Initial rites focused on attempts to guarantee a good rice harvest when the Japanese first started cultivating rice (Nobutaka et al., 2003, p. 14). The religion received its name "Shinto" from the Chinese words shin tao, meaning "the way of the gods," around the 8th century CE.

As is common in many other religions, Shinto has a story that explains creation. Shintoists believe that two gods — one male and one female — gave birth to the islands that make up Japan. Their other children became the deified leaders of the early Japanese clans. One of their daughters was Amaterasu Omikami, the Sun Goddess. She was the founder of the imperial family and regarded as the most important deity, as her descendants unified the clans and created the country now called Japan (Author not given, 2004). As this unification gradually took place, the Yamato family court focused on the worship of the Sun Goddess while also recognizing that other clans had singled out other deities. The Yamato court unified the country politically but allowed different regions to honor different deities (Nobutaka et al., 2003, p. 12). This trait is still seen today, where different cities in Japan tend to focus on different deities, called kami.

The Shinto religion also has shamanistic roots, and its followers regard natural formations and objects — such as rocks, trees, and animals — as sacred. Eventually Shintoism began revering its great leaders, which led to viewing emperors as gods (Author not given, 2004). Even abstract and creative forces have been deified, with the result that Shintoism imbues nearly every aspect of life with a sacred dimension. Prominent rocks along the coast of Japan and Mount Fuji, the famous Japanese volcano, are considered sacred. Typically these gods are viewed as benign or helpful, and different clans chose deities they believed would protect them (Author not given, 2004).

Other Influences: Buddhism and Confucius

As these indigenous beliefs were developing, Japan was influenced by other religions and philosophies. The religion that had the most influence was Buddhism, and eventually, Shinto and Buddhism were both declared official religions of Japan (Author not given, 2004).

Because Shinto grew out of the everyday life of the early Japanese, followers of Shinto typically do not preach or proselytize. The Shinto religion developed alongside Japanese culture, and the two are deeply intertwined. While people from any culture can adopt Buddhist beliefs, Shinto beliefs and practices are an integral part of Japanese traditional culture and are not easily separated from it.

Shinto Today

The Shinto religion can be difficult for people from other cultures to understand, because it does not have a deeply developed theology. It does not even have a formal moral code — such as the Torah for Jews, the Ten Commandments for Christians, or the rules given in the Qur'an for followers of Islam. Generally speaking, Shintoists embrace the moral code provided by Confucius, but they are not obligated to do so (Author not given, 2004). Confucius' teachings are simply part of Japanese cultural history. Reflecting the country's mixed religious influences, many Japanese homes contain two altars: one for Shinto rites and one for Buddhist rites (Kumagai, 1995). Many followers of Shinto believe that the kami are various manifestations of the Buddha.

Shinto does, however, hold some uniform beliefs. In addition to the general acceptance of the Shinto creation story, certain dates are considered taboo, and many people believe in spirits bent on revenge — called onryō — who are the spirits of the dead (Nobutaka et al., 2003, p. 2). Beyond the nearly universal belief in the Japanese creation narrative, there are no rigid doctrines in Shinto. There are no commandments declaring one action always right or another always wrong. Shinto recognizes that no individuals are perfect and views people as fundamentally good; therefore, evil is attributed to evil spirits. The purpose of Shinto rites is to keep those evil spirits at bay through offerings to the kami, prayers, and purification rites.

A Japanese acquaintance and local potter spoke with me about Shinto beliefs and practices. When asked about the basic principles of the religion, she explained that the Japanese believe many things around them — including rocks and trees — are sacred. This belief affects many aspects of life. The art of Japanese flower arrangement called ikebana reflects this belief, as does the design of ritual rock gardens. She noted that the practice of origami, or paper folding, also reflects the view that many things are sacred: the paper is never cut, out of respect for the tree that provided it. She added that there are no sacred texts in Shinto comparable to the Bible for Christians, although the teachings of Buddha and Confucius are given deep respect and are believed to contain great wisdom.