Shintōshū

Shintoshu (神道集) is a Japanese mythological book dating from the 14th century. It contains Shinto myths and legends from a Buddhist perspective.

Shinto has been called "the religion of Japan", and the customs and values of Shinto are inseparable from those of Japanese culture. These significant shrines throughout the country have often been associated power bases, similar related with Imperial and early shogun powers.Many famously Japanese practices have origins either directly or indirectly rooted in Shinto. For example, it is clear that the Shinto ideal of harmony with nature underlies such typically Japanese arts as flower-arranging (生け花ikebana), traditional Japanese architecture, and garden design. A more explicit link to Shinto is seen in sumo wrestling, where, even in the modern version of the sport, many Shinto-inspired ceremonies must be performed before a bout, such as purifying the wrestling arena by sprinkling it with salt. The Japanese emphasis on proper greetings and respectful phrasings can be seen as a continuation of the ancient Shinto belief in kotodama (words with a magical effect on the world). Many Japanese cultural customs, like using wooden chopsticks and removing shoes before entering a building, have their origin in Shinto beliefs and practices. Many of the matsuri (festivals) throughout Japan originated from Shinto rites, which included thanksgiving prayers often of food, valuables and purification rituals. Most Shinto festivals are observed generally in accordance with the above order. On such occasions as the Annual Festival, various special rites may be held—for example, special water purification (misogi) and confinement in shrines for devotional purposes (o-komori), the procession of a sacred palanquin (o-miyuki) or of boats (funa matsuri), a ceremonial feast (toya matsuri), sumo wrestling, horseback riding (kurabe-uma), archery (matoi), a lion dance (shishi mai), and a rice-planting festival (o-taue matsuri). This idea was to further the acting of spontaneous joy and represented the breaking through of pure goodness. For example through the festivals, the Japanese sought to see the pure joys of life and were able to reconnect those aspects of life. Through this reconnection the Japanese developed a sense of duty and honor and this was all a part of the development of both Shinto and how Shinto affected and still affects Japanese culture”.The idea of continuity is another characteristics. This idea is a key element in the survival of modern day Shinto in Japan was a shock in the reemergence of Japan doing the post-war years .This fundamental characteristic is the glue that still holds the Japanese nation together. Shinto can also be found in the business area of Japan. “They believe that they are ever changing and so that even the nation of Japan and its religion, namely Shinto, is always in the middle of this “creative process.” This ability to adapt new ideas and combine them with old traditions and beliefs to continue to “create” better new ideas is Japanese trademark. There a great deal of innovation from Japanese companies and was key factor in Japan becoming an economic superpower. The Japanese have not necessarily created or invented new ideas but have taken things from other countries and improved upon them and made them much better. Doing the 1970s and 1980s, the Japanese dominated the computer chip industry with this concept. A number of other Japanese religions have originated from or been influenced by Shinto. Perhaps for this reason, most Japanese quite easily integrate Shinto into their culture alongside Buddhism and some elements of Christianity. “Shinto is practiced at shrines (jinja), which are most easily distinguished from Buddhist temples by the Torii gates that mark the entrance.Also many ceremonies play an important part in modern daily life such as weddings are performed in shrines, building plots and cars are sometimes blessed for safety and purification. .Also, much of Japanese pop culture, especially anime and manga, draws from Shinto for inspiration and stories (e.g. Spirited Away, Amatsuki, InuYasha, Higurashi no naku koro ni, Hell Girl, Kamichu!, and Kannagi: .Japan has also taken the stance in keeping Shinto alive within their youth as well. The nation continues use Shinto characteristics in many of the anime. The topics include bread making to being ninjas and “soul reapers” that harvest dead people. Children are growing with these themes of Shinto and are being raised to not see the difference between what we Westerners would call “religion” and what the Japanese would simply call their life. In this modern era of Japan, Shinto priests and shrines have true freedom that was promised by the Meiji Restoration, but never actually given. The ancient mythology was used to glorify the emperor and the state, and state Shinto became a powerful instrument in the hands of the militarists, who used it to glorify their policy of aggression. Doing this period known as the State Shinto period” Shinto was used by the Imperial rule to control the people. The government systematically used shrine worship as a major force for loyalty and nation building. After World War II, the State and religion aspects of Japan were separated by the new constitution. Shinto, the most distinctive of the Japanese religions has slowly taken a backseat in Japan. This indigenous religion was once the backbone of the Imerperil reign and continues to be Japanese cultural roots. The Japanese love of nature and sense of closeness to it also derive strongly from Shinto concepts. Today many of the Japanese have forgotten this religion but many still practices their ways without thought. For example the Yasukuni Shrine which is a dedicated to the fallen war members. This shrine continues to causes controversy both domestic and international. The religion may have been forgotten after WWII but it legacies will live on forever.

References:

1 http://www.japan-zone.com/omnibus/shinto.shtml

2 http://socyberty.com/religion/shinto-and-japan/

3 http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0861068.html

4 http://www.japan-101.com/culture/culture_religion_shintoism_today.htm

5 http://www.religionfacts.com/shinto/index.htm

6 John Nelson, The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 62, No. 2 (May, 2003), pp. 443-467

7 Daniel C. Holtom, Far Eastern Survey, Vol. 15, No. 2 (Jan. 30, 1946), pp. 17-20

8 Kuroda Toshio, James C. Dobbins, Suzanne Gay, Journal of Japanese Studies, Vol. 7, No. 1 (Winter, 1981), pp. 1-21

9 Ethnology, Vol. 36, No. 1 (Winter, 1997), pp. 1-12