Practices
Miyamairi
This ceremony closely resembles the baptism of an infant. The child is brought to a shrine by their parents and grandparents. A priest will than commence the ceremony by a benediction of good health and happiness for the infant. It will take place a month after the baby's birth; the 31st day for boys and the 32nd day for girls.
Shichi Go San
On the 15th of November, or the nearest Sunday, parents take boys of three and five years old, along with girls of three and seven to give thanks to the gods for a healthy life so far and pray for a safe and successful future. The festival itself is named after the ages of the children taking part: seven (shichi), five (go), three (san).
Seijinshiki or Seijin no Hi
Due to the fact that 20 is the age of legal adulthood in Japan, it is on this birthday that a 'coming of age' is celebrated. The celebration takes place on the second Monday of January, in order to congratulate and encourage all those who have had reached the age of majority, over the past year. It also serves as a realization to the fact that they have now become adults.
Hatsumode
During this celebration, the first visit to the shrine of the New Year takes place. People give thanks for protection over the past year and ask for a blessing of continual protection for the year to come.
Weddings
Usually takes place in hotels or ceremony halls that are specifically designed for weddings with a shrine altar. A Shinto priest will execute a San san kudo, which is a special wedding ritual. To begin the ceremony, ritual purification is executed. Next, prayers are offered for the couple to have good luck, happiness, and the protection of the kami. Once completed, sake is poured into three cups. The groom will commence by sipping each from the three cups the cups, followed by the bride, and than he reads words of commitment. When the ritual is complete, the couple is officially wedded under Shinto laws.
Harae - Purification Rights
In Shintoism, purity is restored through specific rituals and personal practices that clean both body and mind. Various purifying agents are used during these ceremonies such as salt, water, and haraigush (a purification wand, consisting of a stick with streamers of white paper fastened to the end). One of the simplest methods of purification is the cleansing of face and hands with pure water. This is often performed at the beginning of a shrine visit, in order to be pure enough to approach the kami. Oharae, the ceremony of great purification, is a special purification ritual performed to remove sin and pollution from a large group. It is performed at the end of June and December in the Imperial Household to purify the whole population. Shubatsu is another large purification ceremony, which uses salt.
Symbols and Images
Torii
One or more Torii gates are used to mark the approach and entrance to shrine. Torii come in various colours and are made out of various materials. However, most are made of wood and the majority are painted orange and black.
Komainu
Komainu are a pair of guardian dogs or lions, often found on each side of a shrine's entrance. This is not always the case for all shrines. Rather than dogs, foxes are found at the exterior of Inari shrines.
Omikuji
Fortune telling paper slips can be found at many shrines and temples. These paper slips are called Omikuji. These pieces are randomly drawn and provide predictions ranging from 'daikichi' (good luck) to 'daily' (bad luck). By tying the piece of paper around a tree's branch, good fortune will come true or bad fortune can be averted.
Ema
Shrine visitors write their wishes on wooden plates, called eras, and then leave them at the shrine in hopes that their wishes come true. Most people wish for good health, success in business, passing entrance exams, love, or wealth.
Impact on the 21st Century/Adherents
Japanese socio-cultural identity and its people are broadly shaped by Shintoism. The obvious impact on national holidays, community festivals, familial rites, national self-sufficiency in food, etc.
The religion itself is fairly small compared to other ones. Shinto is specifically found and practiced in Japan on a large scale, where as other religions are practiced internationally on a larger scale. Due to the fact that it is mostly practiced in Japan, the religion only has approximately 4 million followers.
The religion itself is fairly small compared to other ones. Shinto is specifically found and practiced in Japan on a large scale, where as other religions are practiced internationally on a larger scale. Due to the fact that it is mostly practiced in Japan, the religion only has approximately 4 million followers.
Religious Significance
It is crucial that the influence of Shintoism on Japanese culture is not to be overestimated. The aspect of the spirit being one with nature, which gave rise to this religion, underlies within various aspects of Japanese culture. An example of this, can be found in Japanese art, varying from flower arrangements to traditional Japanese architecture and garden designs.
A more explicit link of the Shinto religion in the culture is Sumo wrestling. An incredibly popular support in the country, demands a purification of the wrestling arena, by executing the Shubatsu ceremony - shrinking of salt.
In this day and age, it is incredibly common to say 'itadakimasu' before eating a meal. This portrays the emphasis on proper greetings or commencements, which can be depicted as a continuation of the ancient Shinto belief of kotodama (words with a magical effect on the world).
A more explicit link of the Shinto religion in the culture is Sumo wrestling. An incredibly popular support in the country, demands a purification of the wrestling arena, by executing the Shubatsu ceremony - shrinking of salt.
In this day and age, it is incredibly common to say 'itadakimasu' before eating a meal. This portrays the emphasis on proper greetings or commencements, which can be depicted as a continuation of the ancient Shinto belief of kotodama (words with a magical effect on the world).