Friends

ShintoismPlanning a trip to Ise. Excited to see the Niku Shrine, the most sacred, housed in the complex there (Johnson).

AmaterasuI appreciate everything you’ve done for me and the other kami during the New Year Festival. I feel closer to you and your followers (Anderson).

ShintoismHeaded to a sumo wrestling match. Great that it pleases the kami, but also fun to watch. Glad it’s Japan’s national sport (Johnson)!

Izanami

I hope you appreciate all the hard work my husband and I put in creating the island chain that makes up Japan (“BBC Religion”).

ShintoismVisiting the local shrine to celebrate the New Year Festival. Love hearing the priests chant norito, our ancient Shinto prayers (“BBC Religion).

BuddhaHey, buddy! So glad we’re such great friends. I just love the way we work together. It’s really great that we share so many of the same followers (Anderson).

Shintoism

Shintoism

Amaterasu

Izanami

Buddha

Lives in Japan, Asia * Born on 8th Century, CE

Lives in Japan, Asia * Born on 8th Century, CE

Shintoism

Claude Monet

About Shintoism I encompass the spiritual beliefs of most Japanese people. I work really well with other religions – people often embrace me AND Buddhism. I’m polytheistic - there are multiple gods and many spirits, known as kami. All things have kami, including trees, rocks, and dust. People who follow Shinto beliefs do things to please the kami, like pay special attention to cleanliness. I impact my followers in many ways: people pay respect to local nature, like trees, streams, and rocks, Japanese art portrays aspects of nature, the Emperor plays important roles in religious festivals, Japanese people bow when they greet each other because it’s thought that words hold a magical power.

Visiting shrines, paying homage to the Kami

Friends

Basic Info

Activities & Interests

Activities

Arts & Entertainment

Music

Networks Japan; Asia

Books

Television

Interests Purification, Cleanliness

Shinto RitualMusic

Songs of Nature

Force of Nature

Walden

Clean House Nature

Amaterasu

Izanami

Buddha

Shintoism

Shintoism

My BeliefsBy Shintoism (Albums) * Updated 1 day ago

The most important thing to me are the rituals that allow us to communicate with the Kami, or spirits. These spirits worry about human beings, and they want us to be happy. If we respect the Kami, they will bring us good fortune and health (BBC Religion).

We have many different rituals that make us pure. For example, when you visit a shrine, most people wash their hands and face with pure water (BBC Religion).

Most Japanese people don’t think of me as a religion; instead, they think of me as a way of life. Because of this, many people who follow me are also Buddhists (BBC Religion).

I think purity is an important part of life. Impurity, called tsumi, separates us from the kami. This can include impurity in body, morals, or spirit. Impurity is associated with anything dealing with death or the dead (BBC Religion).

Kami, or spirits, live in shrines. Every town or village has their own local shrine that their kami live in. People visit shrines before festivals and when they want a special favor or good luck from the kami (BBC Religion).