Shinto

The Ise Grand Shrine is part of a Shinto shrine complex of over 125 shrines in the city Ise, Japan. In its center are the main shrines, Naiku (the inner shrine) and Geku (the outer shrine), which make up the Ise Grand Shrine. The inner shrine is dedicated to Amaterasu, the sun goddess and supreme deity in the Shinto religion. The story goes that the inner shrine was built when princess Yamatohime was tasked with finding a permanent place of worship for Amaterasu. After twenty years of searching,…

purifying of the body as well as harmony with natural and stress rituals as well as ritual etiquette. Shintos worship kamis these kamis are deities that are associated with locations, animals as well as the emperor. Neo Shinto views were influenced by confucianism with the importance of the relationship to the emperor. The shinto text is called kojiki and praises values like purity and brilliance. Shinto beliefs were very prominent in Japan and even when other religions began to spread many…

through theater, literature, the arts, and even history. Even before Japanese was unified or even though as a nation, Japan had developed its own religion by this time. Shinto originated early Japan and has had a great influenced in the development of Japan as a whole. As stated by historian Paul Varley in his book Japanese Culture, Shinto has a rich mythology and is mostly concerned with the existence of this world with an optimistic point of view of the world. It is believed…

to India today and there will be more Sikhs in India than any other region. As for the Shinto religion the same can be said, but differ in the sense that less than 1 percent of its population can be found on another continent (Hawaii and Brazil to be exact). The Shinto religion is indigenous to Japan and still heavily practiced in that particular region. They incorporate some of the original beliefs of Shinto into their community by institutionalizing the key practices. Meaning that even though…

1. In what sense are the two notions of Yin and Yang fundamental to the understanding of Chinese religions? According to Mark Cartwright, the Yin and Yan are fundamental to the understanding of Chinese religions because it explains the Chinese principle that all things exist as inseparable and contradictory opposites, for example, day and night, male and female or hot and cold. The two opposites attract and complement each other and, as their symbol illustrates, each side has at its core an…

The Izumo shrine is a meeting place for all the Shinto gods. During the tenth month of the lunar calendar, all of the Shinto deities come to the Izumo shrine for their annual meeting. This has caused this month to be known as the “month with deities” in the Izumo province and the “month without deities” everywhere else in Japan (The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica.) The architecture of the Izumo shrine is called Taisha-style, which is the oldest style of architecture for shrines. Taisha-style…

C. What geography challenges have the Japanese faced? How was Japan’s development influenced by its landforms and its climate, and how did nature inspire the Shinto religion in Japan? Also, how was Japanese culture influenced by its closeness to China and Korea? Give examples of how Japan adapted their influences. What challenges has Japan faced? However, one important question would be, how was Japan influenced by China? This essay will be explaining how Japan was influenced by China and…

Confucianism, and Shinto which is not considered to be a religion in the same sense as traditional religions but an important element of Japanese spirituality, honoring spirits and things coming to be. Hinduism is described as a “range from extreme sensuality, heights of personal devotion of a deity to philosophical perspective.” (Living Religions, Fisher) Hinduism is a polytheistic religion with said to have over 330 million deities. Jainism, Confucianism, Taoism and Shinto are polytheistic as…

together by common practices and ethical codes. See appendix A “Evolution of Religions” There are eleven religions that will be the focus of our discussion, and they include: Native American, African, Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Chinese, Shinto, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. These religions date back to as early as 2500BCE and over time new religions have been created. Zoroastrianism being the older of the religions studied date back to 1500BCE, Jainism, Buddhism,…

Caught up in between an industrialization and isolation period, Japan had to make choices promptly in order to hold a solid future. The Meiji Era 1868-1912, was the period in Japan's history where ports were opened to the outside industrializing world. However, this caused controversy considering whether or not this restoration was really the best alternative. Additionally, it is often debated, to what extent was the Meiji beneficial for Japan. Looking to the surrounding historical context of…