Shinto's Role In Creatio Creation Mythology

Human search for meaning in Shinto is based off of their beliefs, rituals, origins and culture. There are four components that make up the Shinto human search of meaning, Simplicity, one with the world, peace within the world and the individual journey to self-discovery and potential. Simplicity refers to the lack of scripture, rules and expectations the individual to interpret hoe they are to live their lives. Peace with the world is to be what the individual interprets to be the best person they can have an optimistic approach to the world encouraging world peace and peace within themselves. One with the world refers to the immanent nature of the religion, the way the world is viewed individually contributing to their connection with the

Firstly, the traditions within Shintoism were important to help the Japanese people to connect with their ancestors and the nature around them. The word ‘Shinto’ itself means way of the gods. It is as old as the Japanese culture and was the only religion in Japan until the 6th century. According to the Shinto religion, there exists a basic life force called kami. Kami are close to human beings and respond to human prayers. They can influence the course of natural forces, and human events. Shinto tradition says that there are eight million kami in Japan. Due to their deep respect and love for nature and Japan itself, many shrines were set up in places of natural beauty. Followers went to pray here to receive good fortune and samurai would often go to the shrines to pray for victory before and after battle. Shinto’s traditions involved having a clean lifestyle. They washed and bathed everyday which made most of japan a fresh

Shintoism: The Way of the Kami. Israel defines Kami as spirits that affiliate with natural objects such as the sun and the moon. In the opening of Buddha in the Land of the Kami, the narrator shares the historical background of the Kami, stating that a spiritual duo came down to Earth to stir up the sea waters, creating the archipelago of Japan. The sprits figure out reproduction and multiply, inhabiting the chain of Islands known as Japan. The narrators also mention the Kami in mountains, wind, grass and other natural entities. According to the film, spiritual rituals performed in earlier eras show continuity in Shinto shrines today. Israel explains that later, during the Asuka-Nara Period, The Yamato high courts establish a system that would monitor Shinto shrines. “The Yomato court developed a centralized

Both stories started with nothing and had gods create the universe. There was essentially two human beings created by gods that started the earth’s population and controlled all the animals. The two stories are heavily influenced by the water or seas, with the Japanese’s story the lands that were created were islands surrounds by vast oceans and the Irish story’s first god was made from the sea foam. The two creation stories started with female gods, that created the universe or the other gods that helped them.

The supernatural powers and deities of Shinto are Kami. Kami are not Gods but spirits that intervene with humans that do not live in a separate dimension but in the same dimension as humans. Kami can take form of elements of nature such as rivers, mountains, storms and earthquakes but they were also the deities that created the universe as stated in their holy text. They can also be spirits that take the form of the living and the souls of humans that have demonstrated outstanding achievement (such as soldiers that gave up their lives for war, emperors and leaders) becoming Kami after their death. Kami are also the ancestors and protectors of human beings. Kami can also influence the course of nature and events of humans. They like the human

The Japanese culture has been greatly influenced by its religions, and one of the most influential religions has been Shintoism. Shintoism has been dated back to 500BC, when the descendants of the sun goddess, Amaterasu-OmiKami, worshiped the gods and goddesses of Japan. Shinto means "way of the gods" and that represents what people who practice Shintoism believe in. Shintoism is a religion based on Japanese mythology, which is centered on a male god, Izanagi, and a female goddess, Izanami. These two gods were believed to have created Japan, which was thought to be the only land in the whole word. The two gods had two children, the sun goddess Amaterasu, and the storm god, Susanowo. These two gods fought over control of the people of

Kami is a God or spirit which it can be either a singular being or plural which refers to a single essence manifesting in many places (Fisher 2014). According to the Shinto religion Kami harmonizes heaven and earth and also guides the solar system and the cosmos. Kami has many different ways that it can manifest itself such as; rocks, waterfalls, and animals. In a way it is almost like Christianity where there’s a God who is omnipotent. However unlike Christianity, Shinto is no easily identified as a religion because it has no singular founder like Daoism.

The Shinto faith is based on Japanese mythology. One of the most important mythological stories in the

After reading the passages about Shinto, it is interesting to see how Kanetomo defines the religion itself. Based on DeBary’s reading, Kanetomo describes Shinto as a yin and yang. Kanetomo splits Shinto into two different definitions, as shin means the “heart-mind of all beings” and to means the “rationale of all beings” (Debary 352). To me, Kanetomo’s definition of Shinto as a yin and yang draws comparisons to the yin and yang concepts of Daoism. Shinto is similar to Daoism because both have a metaphysical concept that governs the world. However, the yin and yang of Daoism is incapable of description. This is different in Shinto as the religion anthropomorphizes the metaphysical principle into many god-like figures, such as Izanagi and Izanami (Bowring 353). I believe this is a main proponent of why kami and Shinto deities are highly revered and worshipped in Shinto.

At the heart of Shinto is a sensitivity to the mysterious powers of natures. Long ago islands Japanese people lived closely to nature, and Shinto as religion reflects that reality in its worship of the spirits who are believed to inhabit the natural world. It said on page 257, Shinto retains elements of shamanism, contact with nature spirits, and mysterious healing. Even though Shinto is an ancient religion, it still relevant today. Shinto goes wherever Japanese people lived. Even in America, Brazil and particularly in Hawaii, California and Washington. This is not a missionary religion, nor have the institutional structure to do missionary work. According on page 275, it said that Shinto is reminiscent of other indigenous religions. I believe

The Shinto manner of the Kami is the call of the religion of Japan that became first used within the 6th century. Shinto has no founder, no reliable sacred texts, and no formalized system of doctrine. Fisher, 2014, p. 222.

The first five gods told Izanagi and Izanami to make Japan, and they gave them a jeweled spear. Standing on the Bridge of Heaven, they dipped it in a floating landmass and stirred. They pulled out the spear, and where they stuck the spear an island formed. On this island they built a temple and a column that reached the

Japanese people that practice Shinto, worship the way they do so that there will continue to be harmony between nature and human beings. Shinto believe “…that some kami reside on Earth, rather than in another world, to look after their descendants and aid them when possible” (Infosino). This line of thinking makes a lot of sense to me. There have been many times in my life that I have prayed to deceased family members to help me when I was in a situation in which I needed their help or guidance. My belief is that since they are closer to God, they can ask Him to help me.

Within all religions, there is a belief in beings that live around us and can have the means to answer certain prayers. Kami is a term used in Shintoism as spirits that live closely with human beings, which are ‘anything out of the ordinary, awe-inspiring, mysterious, powerful, marvelous, and beyond human control or comprehension.’ (Brood 318) Kami is often associated with ancestors and loved ones who have passed on from the world of the living or even evil being who wish to do harm to those still living. Shintoism states that many of these Kami can have the power to not only alter human events but can also influence natural forces. Kami when applied to spirits that live in things is a way to attach a meaning to the word, but it also applies

As an ancient religion of Japan, Shinto was originally a combination of nature worship, divination techniques, and shamanism. Meaning "the way of the Gods", the origins of Shinto are not apparent in comparison to other religions, especially other Asian religions and beliefs. With no obvious founder, as well as original written scriptures and authentic laws, a number of theories exist about the origination of Shinto as a religion and its development across the Japanese lands. However, the significance of the religion has shifted the importance of discovering its origins to the religious influences that Shinto has embarked upon Japanese