What Is Shinto, the Belief Deeply Rooted in the Japanese Mindset and Daily Life?

In Shinto, it is believed that gods dwell in all things.
It is a polytheistic religion that worships everything from nature, such as water, the sun, and the moon, to animals, mythology, and everyday tools, and these objects of worship are often described as the “eight million gods,” a phrase that represents their vast number.
It is also flexible enough to accept foreign deities, and many gods now established as Japanese deities originally came from abroad.
This can also be seen as a characteristic of Japanese people, many of whom think of themselves as nonreligious and feel no discomfort with belief in multiple gods.
Compared with monotheistic religions found around the world, including Islam, which recognizes Allah as the one absolute god, this is a minority view.
Also, because it is polytheistic, there is no absolute justice, and it is generally believed that Shinto gods have emotions just like humans do.
In particular, the vengeful spirits of great figures who died tragic deaths were believed to cause various disasters and curses, so they needed to be carefully enshrined at shrines.
Well-known examples of shrines that enshrine famous figures include Emperor Ojin at Hachiman Shrine and Prince Sawara at Sudo Shrine.

Because Shinto worships nature itself and does not involve the idea of personifying objects of worship, it is often said not to include idol worship.
Idol worship refers to the act of revering an idol made as an object of worship as a deity.
For example, in Buddhism, people press their hands together and pray before Buddhist statues depicting Shakyamuni, the founder, such as Shaka Nyorai.
Instead, in Shinto, people have enshrined “yorishiro,” objects in which divine spirits, such as shintai or sacred areas, are believed to dwell.
Generally, yorishiro are believed to be trees or huge rocks inhabited by gods, so there is a long history of revering and worshipping rocks and trees.
Even today, some shrines mark a yorishiro by wrapping a sacred rope around a giant tree.
*Interpretations of idol worship vary widely, so please understand that this is only one view.

Because Shinto is based on rituals handed down since ancient times and nature worship that values reverence for ancestors, it has no founder or religious leader.
It respects freedom and flexibility in belief based on region, family line, and the individual, so even people who follow the same Shinto may practice it differently.
Another major difference from other religions is that it places importance not on teachings but on passing down Shinto values, so it has no scripture or doctrine.
In other words, Japanese people may have believed in Shinto at a deep, unconscious level without needing a founder or sacred text.
These characteristics of Shinto are often very difficult to understand from the perspective of other religions, including Christianity.

As shown in the table below, shrines have various names based on differences in rank and authority.
Just by looking at a shrine’s name, you can get a sense of its origin and characteristics, which makes it fascinating.
If you remember the features associated with each type of shrine name, visiting shrines will be even more enjoyable.

Among shrine structures, the torii is like a symbol of the shrine.
The torii rising at the entrance marks the boundary between the sacred precincts inside the shrine and the ordinary world outside.
It preserves the dignity of the shrine grounds and shows that it is a sacred place where gods are present.
Its structure and style vary from shrine to shrine, and there are said to be more than 60 types.
The chozuya, or purification pavilion where visitors cleanse themselves before worship, is another structure unique to shrines.
It is mainly built between the torii and the main hall, and by rinsing their hands and mouths there to remove impurity, worshippers uphold the purity valued by Japanese deities.
Also associated with shrines are statues such as komainu, guardian lion-dogs that serve to protect and ward off evil, and shinme, sacred horses offered for the fulfillment of prayers.

When visiting a shrine, various manners are observed, from how to pass through the torii to when to offer coins.
Here, we will introduce the representative etiquette known as “two bows, two claps, one bow.”
“Two bows, two claps, one bow” is the basic form of worship performed at shrines, following the steps below.

The number of bows and other details may vary depending on the region or shrine, so in that case, it is best to follow the instructions there.

“Kannushi” is a general term for people who serve at shrines and in Shinto through duties such as conducting rituals and maintaining the grounds, and the formal term is “shinshoku,” meaning Shinto priest.
After being certified through the Association of Shinto Shrines or a university, they are given a rank and obtain qualifications as shinshoku.
The following positions exist among shinshoku, but due to labor shortages, many shrines currently have people serving in multiple roles.

Lovingly known as “O-Ise-san,” it is usually called “Ise Jingu,” but its formal name is simply “Jingu.”
It is regarded as the guardian shrine of the nation and is still revered today as the head shrine of shrines across Japan.
Jingu consists of 125 shrines in total, including the Inner Shrine, Naiku (Kotaijingu), which enshrines Amaterasu Omikami, the ancestral deity of the imperial family, and the Outer Shrine, Geku (Toyouke Daijingu), which enshrines the guardian deity of food, clothing, shelter, and industry, as well as auxiliary and subordinate shrines.
The shrine buildings are built in shinmei-zukuri, an ancient Japanese architectural style using cypress wood, and at the two main shrines and 14 auxiliary shrines, the shikinen sengu ceremony is held once every 20 years to rebuild the shrine buildings and transfer the sacred objects to the new structures.

Izumo Taisha is recorded in the Kojiki, Japan’s oldest historical record, completed in 712, and is one of Japan’s most important ancient shrines alongside Ise Jingu. Its main deity is Okuninushi no Okami, famous as the god of matchmaking.
The huge shimenawa rope at the front of the Kaguraden is especially famous. At 13 meters long and weighing 5.2 tons, it is one of the largest in Japan.
The main hall, rebuilt in 1744, was constructed in Japan’s oldest shrine architectural style and has been designated a National Treasure.

Meiji Jingu was founded in 1920 as a shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken.
It consists of the Inner Garden, a pure and solemn area centered around the main shrine buildings and gardens, the Outer Garden, which includes the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery and many excellent sports facilities, and Meiji Kinenkan, a full-service wedding venue.
The artificial forest, created by planting around 100,000 trees donated from all over Japan, has grown into a rich woodland that hardly feels like central Tokyo and gives off a mysterious atmosphere. It is also famous as a power spot.