Shinto and Shrines

Shinto is the "native religion" of Japan, although most Japanese people would not tell you they practiced a religion if you asked! Shinto revolves around "kami", or spirits that are tied to the land and other natural events. They are seen as intrinsic to  the island of Japan itself, inextricable from the natural world. Because of this, being Shinto is simply a part of being Japanese for many. In fact, 50-80% of Japanese people pray at shrines and attend rituals, although they would not identify themselves as Shintoists in the sense that they do not see themselves as practitioners of an organized religion. 30% of this same group also practices Buddhism, a religion adopted from neighboring China that is highly compatible with Shinto (neither religion is exclusive). There are three main types of Shinto: State Shinto, a nationalistic type of Shinto used to unite the people of Japan during World War II and has since been outlawed; Folk Shinto, which follows local customs and revolves around location-specific kami; and Shrine Shinto, which oversees festivals and rituals that take place in shrines across Japan. Most people today are either practitioners of Folk or Shrine Shinto, although the people themselves would not create a distinction between the two. Currently, Shinto serves as a way for the Japanese people to find harmony in their lives if they so desire and create a sense of comfort through ritual, prayer and community.

Amaterasu, the sun goddess, is seen as the supreme kami. 

The shrines themselves are at the heart of Shinto--they are seen as dwelling places for local kami and are often located in areas of great natural beauty in order to accentuate the "sacred-ness" of the surrounding land. Each specific place has "local" kami that are often tied to its environmental and sometimes economic characteristics. For example, a shrine in a seaside city may honor a kami that brings fishermen a bountiful catch and another that controls storms and flooding. Each shrine houses a shintai, or a material object (like a statue, stone or piece of paper) that the kami temporarily inhabits during rituals. These are kept in an inner sanctum of the temple that only priests and other holy people are allowed to enter (most visitors to shrines, like us, stay outside). During festivals, the shintai are placed in boxes and paraded around. The events at a shrine revolve around these festivals, which happen at important parts of the year and serve to please and honor the kami, bringing prosperity to the surrounding land. Another important happening at shrines are rituals, which focus on prayer and purification. The religion of Shinto as a whole values  purity immensely, both physical and spiritual. Before praying or participating in a ritual, one must cleanse their hands and mouth and use items like wooden hoops and purification wands to cleanse of any impure thoughts or actions.

Basins like these are used to wash your hands or mouth before praying 

The New Year, especially, is seen as a time of renewal and cleansing. On December 31st, through the ritual of Great Purification, shrines are thoroughly cleaned and cleared of any impure thoughts or actions that have built up over the course of the year. People attend "forgettingthe year" parties, where much feasting and drinking occurs, serving as a way to "get all your  demons out" before beginning a new year. Comparable to the busy holiday season in the US, the last week of December is spent buying gifts and preparing for any family members that may come to visit. Likewise, December 31 to January 3, called Oshogatsu, is a relaxed holiday for all, and should be spent visiting ancestors' graves and wiping your emotional slate clean of any arguments or feuding. For a majority of people, the first visit to the local shrine (called hatsumode) is the hallmark event of the holiday. It is believed that the new year is a sacred gift from the kami and should be spent casting off any evil and impurities that have built up over the previous year. Almost 70% of Japanese people visit a shrine to celebrate the new year, making a very crowded atmosphere during early January! Protocol is to cast a coin into a sheet at the front of the hall of worship, say a prayer, then purchase whatever protective talismans you would like for the upcoming year.

Senso-ji shrine in Tokyo. There was a long line of people waiting to pray!

Me in front of the tori gate at the entrance to the Benten Kutsu cave.

We have come across many shrines during our first week in Japan, both great and small! One tiny shrine near our hotel was located right in the middle of the bustling city, creating a sharp contrast between the nature-centric religion and the modern industrialized society. However, I think it is a testament to the rich cultural history of Japan that many continue to practice and return to such a religion. The first shrine we visited, Senso-ji shrine in Tokyo, was packed with people for the new year and Coming of Age day, when 20 year old men and women formally become adults. There was a line of people waiting to pray at the altar--it almost mesmerizing to watch them all, young and old alike, come forward to bow and clap twice before saying a short prayer. This public form of worship is completely different from anything we have in the United States, but is beautiful and fascinating to observe!

Lots of small Benzaiten figurines inside the Benten-Kutsu cave!

My other favorite shrines we have visited so far are the Benten-kutsu cave at the Hasedera temple and the Itsukushima Shrine (or "floating shrine") on Miyajima island. The Benten-kutsu cave, marked by the characteristic tori gate signaling an entrance for the gods to come into our world, is dedicated to the goddess of fine arts and music. After walking/crawling through small tunnels, we came to a room covered in tiny statues of the goddess that you can purchase and place yourself. Seeing the hundreds of tiny figurines and thinking of the prayers of those who placed them there made me feel like a small part of something much larger!

Me and my friends in front of the massive tori gate on Miyajima island.

The Itsukushima shrine, located right on the shoreline of the island, appears to be floating during high tide (hence the nickname). The most iconic feature of the shrine is its massive tori gate located in the water, one of the most distinguishing features of the island itself. The shrine is dedicated to the three daughters of the god of water and storms. For many years, foreigners weren't allowed in the shrine because the island was seen as especially sacred. Even today, pregnant women close to delivery and the very sick or elderly return to the mainland to give birth or die (the two most unclean activities) in order to keep the island as pure as possible. I certainly felt the same sense of wonder and holiness after witnessing the incredible natural beauty of the island and the shrine! Even though I practice a  very different religion, I have truly enjoyed observing the right history of Shinto in Japan and often feel the same sense of reverence towards its natural beauty that the Japanese people have felt for thousands of years.

The beautiful Itsukushima shrine viewed from the tori gate.

Sources:
John Nelson, A Year in the Life of a Shinto Shrine, University of Washington Press, 1996

Images (in order):
http://www.ancient.eu/Amaterasu/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinto/
http://www.greenshinto.com/wp/page/49/