Shinto
Sia, Natalie, Michelle,
Calvin, Amin and Lester
What is Shinto?
Shinto is a general term of the activities of
the Japanese people to worship all the deities
of heaven and earth.
Number of Adherents of Shinto
Shinto is a fairly small religious group
compare to any other ones. Since it is a small
group, and is practiced in Japan mainly, there
are only 4 million adherents around the world.
Influence in the 21st century
Japanese sociocultural identity and
its people is
broadly shaped by
Shinto. The
obvious impact on
national holidays,
community
festivals, and
familial rites, and
national selfsufficiency in food
etc.
Religious Significance
The influence of Shinto on Japanese culture
cannot be overestimated. It is clear that the
spirit of being one with nature that gave rise to
this religion underlies such typically Japanese
arts as flower-arranging and traditional
Japanese architecture and garden design.
A more explicit link to Shinto is seen in sumo
wrestling: to purify the wrestling arena, they
sprinkling salt.
It is still very common for Japanese to say,
"Itadakimasu" before eating, and the Japanese
emphasis on proper greetings can be seen as
a continuation of the ancient Shinto belief in
kotodama (words with a magical effect on the
world).
Shinto Today
Adherents of Shinto seek support from
Shinto by praying at a home altar or by
visiting the shrines. A whole range of
talismans is available at shrines for
traffic safety, good health, business
success, safe deliveries, good exam
performance and more. A large number
of wedding ceremonies are also held in
Shinto style these days.
Practices, Rituals and Ceremonies
Miyamairi
– similar to an infant baptism
– Child is taken to a shrine by their parents and grandparents where
a Shinto priest prays for good health and happiness for the baby
– Takes place a month after the baby’s birth; 31st days for boys,
32nd days for girls
Shichi Go San
– also known as the 7-5-3 festival and takes place on November 15th
– Girls aged 7 and 3, and boys aged 5 dress in traditional clothing
and visit the shrine where girls, 3, and boys, 5, are formally
welcomed into the community and girls, 7, are welcomed into
womanhood
Seijinshiki or Seijin no Hi
– Shinto ‘coming of age’ ceremony for people who have turned 20
– Takes place on the second Monday of January
Hatsumode
– the first visit to the shrine of the new year
– People give thanks for protection over the past
year and ask for blessing of continual protection
for the year to come
Weddings
– take place in hotels or ceremony halls that are
specially designed for weddings with a shrine altar
– Led by a Shinto priest
– San-san-kudo is a special Shinto wedding ritual:
sake is poured into three cups. The groom is first
to sip the cups three times, and then the bride
does the same after the groom. When the ritual is
complete, the couple is officially wedded under
Shinto
Place of Origin
Shinto formally means
“ Way of the Gods”. It
became Japan’s ancient
religion approximately at
500BCE. Shinto’s origin
comes from worshipping
nature called "Kami."
These include: trees, water,
rain, fertility, wind , spirits,
mountains, plants, animals,
and many more.
Amaterasu, the sun
goddess, is the most
important kami.
It is an optimistic faith, and there is no
right or wrong. They have rituals to keep
evil spirits away, purity, offerings, prayers,
and festivals. They do festivals, also
known as “matsuri” regularly to show
Kami’s their outside world. There are about
3 to 4 million adherents worldwide.
Symbols and Images
Torri and Komainu
Torri
•One or more torii gates mark the approach and
entrance to a shrine. They come in various colors
and are made of various materials. Most torii,
however are made of wood, and many are painted
orange and black.
Komainu
•Komainu are a pair of guardian dogs or lions, often
found on each side of a shrine's entrance. In the case
of Inari Shrines, they are foxes (see picture) rather
than dogs.
Purification through the Stage and
Shimenawa
Purification through
•Found near the entrance, the water of these
fountains is used for purification. You are supposed
to clean your hands and mouth before approaching
the main hall.
Stage
•Stages for bugaku dance or no theater
performances can be found at some shrines.
Shimenawa
•A shimenawa is a straw rope with white zigzag
paper strips (gohei). It marks the boundary to
something sacred and can be found on torii
gates, around sacred trees and stones, etc. A
rope similar to the shimenawa is also worn by
yokozuna, the highest ranked sumo wrestlers,
during ritual ceremonies.
Ema and Omikuji
Ema
•Shrine visitors write their wishes on these wooden
plates and then leave them at the shrine in the hope
that their wishes come true. Most people wish for
good health, success in business, passing entrance
exams, love or wealth.
Omikuji
•Omikuji are fortune telling paper slips found at many
shrines and temples. Randomly drawn, they contain
predictions ranging from daikichi ("great good luck")
to daikyo ("great bad luck"). By tying the piece of
paper around a tree's branch, good fortune will come
true or bad fortune can be averted.
Founder
This ancient Japanese religion
doesn't have a founder.
Instead it is a polytheism
Shinto there are multiple “Kami"
which means god in Japanese that
people believe in
Key Characters
Emperor Meiji made Shinto the State
religion in 1868.
Izanami and Izanagi were given a
spear and task by god to create land.
Before they died they created the god
of sun, moon and storm.
SHINTO Beliefs
Shinto believes and tells of
the history and lives of the
"Kami" (deities).
The word "Kami" is
generally translated "god"
or "gods
There are no concepts
which compare to the
Christian beliefs in the
wrath of God
or the separation of God
from humanity due to sin
natural objects and
creatures "food to rivers to
rocks."
 About 84% of the
All of humanity is regarded as
population of Japan follow
"Kami's child." Thus all
two religions: both Shinto
human life and human
and Buddhism
nature is sacred
 Asia, Christianity is very
 Morality is based upon that
much a minority religion
which is of benefit to the
group.
 two religions share a basic
optimism about human
"Shinto emphasizes right
nature, and for the world
practice, sensibility, and
attitude
 Shinto does not have as
fully developed a theology  There are “Three
as do most other religions. It Affirmations“ in Shinto
does not have its own moral
-Tradition and the family
code. Shintoists generally
-Love of nature
follow the code of
Confucianism
-Physical cleanliness
The End
Draw-a-Straw
<The Shinto Game>
RULES:
1) 3 names are randomly called.
2) Each person draws a straw.
3) The one who gets the lined, numbered straw
can guess the answer. (in order)
4) The first person can pick the question.
5) If the first person don’t get it right, the secondperson can guess
6) Whoever gets the right answer gets the prize.
There are going to be eight questions.
運を祈ります!
(Oon-oh Eenori-mas!)
(Good Luck!)