Shinto
Shintoism is the original religion of Japan. It emerged from natural religions in which native deities, Kami, were venerated. Their number is practically unlimited, all things that one can be in awe of are kami, such as a mountain, a lake, the rainbow, lightning, thunder, or even the ancestors. The name Shinto is of Chinese origin and means Way of the gods, Japanese kami no michi, it did not emerge until the 6th century to delimit the religion from the emerging Buddhism, which is known as butsudo, Path of the Buddha.
Mythology and Kami
In Shintoism, Japan is created by siblings Izanagi and Izanamiwho descended from heaven. The sun goddess comes from them Amaterasu, the storm god Susanoo and the moon god Tsukiyomi. Susanoo do evil deeds, Amaterasu therefore hides in a cave. With the help of a ruse in which a mirror plays a role, she comes out of the cave. Susanoo must go to earth, he and his descendants take control of the land, then Amaterasu sends her grandson Ninigi onto the earth. The first human ruler descends from one of his descendants, so the ancestors of the first Tenno are of divine origin. The main shrine of the Amaterasu is also the highest Shinto shrine in Japan, it is in Ise near Kyoto, however, is not open to the public. A mirror is kept in it, which is one of the sacred treasures of Japan. All of these figures appearing in mythology are Kamieven if they died there and therefore can no longer be worshiped.
A few more kami
- Inari is represented as a fox. He is the god of rice and fertility
- Hachiman is called the god of war, the protector of Japan and the Japanese people. He is revered in both Shinto and Buddhism.
- Tenjin is the patron god of writers and scholars
- Shichi Fukujin, the seven gods of luck. They actually come from Buddhism and were adopted by the people. Particularly well-known figures are Daikoku, he stands for rich harvest and prosperity, and the always happy and contented one Hotei, with us also as laughing buddha known.
- Ujigami are the ghosts (Kami) of the ancestors belonging to a certain clan (Uji) descend. They are often only known regionally and have characteristics of the Folk Shintoism on.
Basic rules
There are no dogmas or clearly defined beliefs in Shintoism. One adores them Kami, one strives for harmony with them. In short: anything that could disturb or destroy the harmony is a bad act. Accordingly, emphasis is placed on purity and purity (makoto). Accordingly, Shintoism does not know our concept of sin, it is rather a state of uncleanliness, defilement kegare. This can be done deliberately by breaking taboos, but also without one's own will, for example through illness or death. In order to restore the state of purity, certain rituals are necessary, called harae, or also Misogi .
The Tennō
The name Tennō means divine power. Another name for the ruler of Japan is mikado or divine creator. According to legend, the first Tennō or Emperor of Japan was from 660 AD Jimmu, a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu. The office remained in this dynasty to this day. The emperors did not always have the same powers. At first they were both spiritual and secular leaders. In the course of time they gave up their political power, first to regents and later on Shoguns. The Tenno was only a spiritual leader for around 1000 years. Through the Changes in the 19th century and by the arrival of the Black ships there was a rethink in society. This triggered the Meiji Restoration, and in 1868, after a coup and the Boshin War, state power returned to the Tennō, the seat of the capital was relocated from Kyoto to Tokyo. Soon after, Shinto became the state religion, the separation from Buddhism was rigorously enforced, the priests became state officials, and Shinto moral classes were given in schools. After the Second World War, the Tennō had to officially give up all political offices, but he still has an important role in Japanese society and especially in Shintoism.
shrine
A shrine, mostly as a Jinja, sometimes too Jingu, is a place of worship in Shintoism, where im shinza, the Holy of Holies, a relic of the Kami, the revered deity is kept. This shintai The mentioned object is very often a mirror or a sword, but it can also be a stone or any other object. How big the shrine is for storage is nowhere specified. It can be a simple house altar, a shrine in our sense of the word, or a huge complex with several hectares and a few dozen buildings. Here are some typical features found in thousands of shrines:
- Torii: You are on maps
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the symbol for a shrine. These striking vermilion painted gates with two transoms separate the sacred grounds of the shrine from its surroundings. Most shrines have multiple torii outside, but sometimes they also separate an inside area. - Colorful stacked barrels are often noticeable near the torii. There are mostly (empty) sake- Barrels that may be set up by a company that has donated money to the temple. Sometimes you can find others too
- Often times, one must cross a bridge before reaching the inner, more sacred area of the shrine. Here the purifying power of water is used as a symbol.
- A gate leads to the honsha-Area where the central buildings are. Frequent goals are e.g. a kara-mon or Chinese gate with gables on all sides or one yotsu-ashi-mon, a 4-Pfelier gate.
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the symbol for a shrine. These striking vermilion painted gates with two transoms separate the sacred grounds of the shrine from its surroundings. Most shrines have multiple torii outside, but sometimes they also separate an inside area.
- Chōzuya is called a water basin in which all shrine visitors should clean themselves. Ladles are available for this. With these you first rinse your left hand, then your right hand, and finally you take some water in your right hand and use it to rinse your mouth. Please do not touch the ladle at the front, only let the water drip into the drainage ditch, under no circumstances let it drip into the basin.
- Now you can go to the main buildings shaden. Often only a prayer hall, called a prayer hall, is open to the public haiden. It is often decorated with a thick straw rope, shimenawa called, on the jagged folded strips of paper that shide hang. In front of the hall in the middle there is a wooden box called saisen-bakowhere you toss a few coins (usually just a few yen) from a respectful distance. Then you can pull the rope of a bell around the Kami to draw attention to yourself. Then you clap your hands loudly twice to show the kami who is standing in front of him. Now bow twice deeply, then straighten up, fold your hands and pray. As soon as you have finished the prayer, you thank the kami, bow deeply again in goodbye and leave again.
- As a tourist you should be in the middle of the prayer hall haiden avoid, as one could disturb believers in prayer here. If you should be able to enter any wooden part of a hall, the following applies as a rule: take off shoes. Photographing is undesirable in many shrines, please pay attention to the corresponding signs.
- The actual sanctuary, honden, in which the shinza is always reserved for the clergy and may not be entered.
- Often there are other outbuildings, such as one kagura-den called hall for ceremonial dances, administrative building or private building for the priests, called Kannushi and the Mikos. A miko is generally a single girl who serves in a shrine, be it as a dancer, for the production of O-mamori, shide or as a saleswoman.
- Buildings in which souvenirs are sold, be it postcards, descriptions of the shrines or even sweets, are unmistakable and also indispensable for the financing of the shrines. There are also some typical Japanese things:
- Mikuji or Omikiuji, a kind of oracle. It can look like this: in a box there are numerous wooden sticks similar to those in our Mikado games. You shake the can until a stick sticks out. On this you will find a number that is assigned to a drawer. Inside there is a piece of paper with the actual oracle. If the oracle is favorable, one is of course happy. If it's unfavorable, you think to yourself: it's Shinto and a magic from another world. Or you do it like the Japanese: you take this piece of paper and knot it to a pine branch on which the misfortune can wait. It's a good thing that the notes are already in the right shape and that a suitable tree is growing on the temple grounds. By the way: You wouldn't be in Japan if there weren't already vending machines for the Omikuji in several temples.
- Ema, small wooden tablets printed on one side. You choose a suitable motif, buy the tablet for a few yen and label the free side with a personal or very general wish. Then you hang it up in a designated place. Such tablets can be found at larger temples, labeled in the various languages of the visitors.
- Little lucky charms like O-mamori, these are embroidered cloth bags (do not open!) or Daruma, Papier-mâché figures, stand-up figures are popular small souvenirs.
- What do you do with all the pictures and objects that come from a shrine, are marked as sacred or consecrated and that you no longer want to have in your home? Often there is a small building in which they can be left behind so that they can be used in a sacred place Kannushi or their employees are burned.
Matsuri
In addition to the large shrines with several buildings, there are small prayer niches in many houses, also known as shrines. In addition, play Mikoshi, portable or mobile shrines play an important role. They are carried along at Shinto festivals. These usually have the character of folk festivals, the so-called. Matsuri. These celebrations are usually boisterous, including dancing and eating, and often the use of sake. Occasions are regional in nature, but there are also those nationwide Hana-Matsuri at the time of the cherry blossom and festivals on the occasion of the rice harvest.
Shinto customs
Neither Shinto nor Buddhism know a rite similar to baptism. In Japan, the birth of a child is celebrated together with the New Year festival Oshogatsu. You visit the shrine and the little girls get one hagoita Badminton rackets as a gift, there is a bow for the boys, hamayumi. This includes arrows hamaya to ward off evil spirits. Another festival for the kids is Shichigosan in November, when the children aged 3, 5 and 7 wear beautiful kimonos, the Shinto priest performs a cleansing ritual, and it is just as important to have the offspring photographed in beautiful clothes. Two other festivals are intended for the children: on March 3rd, the dolls festival for the girls hina matsuri, May 5th is the old one for the boys tango no sekkuFor several years it has been said kodomo no hi. The feast lies in the Golden week with a total of 5 public holidays, this is traditionally booked out long-term in Japan. Weddings in Japan often take place according to the Shinto rite. The festival has only been officially known since the beginning of the Meiji period, common Sake drinking of the bride and groom is part of the tradition.In modern apartments, if possible, there is often a Japan room, covered with tatami mats, with calligraphy on the walls and with a corner for the tea ceremony. Of course, this also includes a Kamidana, a Shinto house altar, in honor of the ujigami, the ancestors. Often there is also one Butsudan, a Buddhist altar.
