The Electronic Passport to Shinto

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Mr. Dowling's Electronic Passport Japan

The Land of the Rising Sun | Ring of Fire | Shinto | Homogeneity

Shinto

     Earthquakes, volcanoes, and typhoons make Japan a land of many violent forces. The ancient Japanese developed a great respect for nature. Their beliefs are called "Shinto," or the "way of the gods."

     The ancient Japanese believed the gods created Japan as a special group of islands. They sent many kami, or lesser gods, to govern the land. Kami were supernatural forces with power over the mountains, the forests, the winds, and the sea. Shinto teaches that the world is filled with spirits that reside in nature.

     Amaterasu was the goddess of the sun, and her brother, Susano-o, was the storm god. The two quarreled often. Amaterasu sent her grandson, Ninigo, to rule over the Japanese islands. Ninigi was assisted by the kami, whose children became the Japanese people. The Japanese people believed they were the children of supernatural forces, and their emperor descended by Amaterasu. These beliefs helped to bond the Japanese as a culture that kept outsiders away. They were also a factor in Japan's entry into World War II.

     The Japanese borrowed many ideas from other cultures and adapted them for their own use. Buddhism is an example of this Japanese trait. Buddhism was founded in northeast India about 200 BC. It reached Japan about seven hundred years later, and became very popular with upper class Japanese. The most popular Buddhist sect was Zen, a term that means concentration. Zen Buddhists taught that everyone could become enlightened, but they needed to concentrate deeply and look within themselves to achieve "Buddha-hood." The primary western faiths, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, believe in a God that is external. The focus of Zen is not on an external force, but on self-understanding and self-reliance. Zen Buddhists meditate by sitting very still with their back straight, their legs crossed, and their minds concentrated in order to achieve tranquility and insight.

     Religion is no longer the focus of daily life for most Japanese people. When Japan lost World War II, the American army forced the Japanese emperor to declare that he was not a god. Many Shinto shines remain, but they are not visited as often as they were before the war. Only 3% of the Japanese people are Christians, but the biggest holiday in Japan is now Christmas, a celebration that has no relationship with Japanese tradition.

The Land of the Rising Sun | Ring of Fire | Shinto | Homogeneity

Japan

To cite this page:
Dowling, Mike., "The Electronic Passport Homework to Sinto," available from http://www.mrdowling.com/616-shinto.html; Internet; updated Sunday, July 29, 2001 .