 Shintoism is considered as the very essence of

Japanese devotion to unseen spiritual being

and powers
 Very local kind of religion that is focused on the
land of Japan, hence an “Ethnic religion”
 Espouses that belief that “human beings are
basically good and has no concept of original
sin”
 It has no known founder nor god, and it may be
practiced with other religions such as Buddhism
and Daoism
 Shinto performs rituals like worshipping at the shrines
while not identifying themselves as Shintoists.
 Practiced by less than 40% of the population according
to 2006 and 2008 surveys.
 Around 50% to 80% worship spirits or kami at shinto
shrines.
 Way of life for the japanese people instead of
considering it as a religion; it does not exist
independently of other religions
 Syncretism is a common practice, with Shintos the
fundamental folk belief incorporated to Buddhism,
Confucianism and Daoism.
 Followers of Shintoism are called Shintoists.
•Itsukushima-jinja
Shinto Shrine located
on the island of
Itsukushima
(popularly known as
Miyajima) best know
for its floating torii
gate
•Shrines are
important aspect in
Shintoism
• The shrine was
devoted to the 3
daughters of the
Shinto God of seas
and storms, Susano-
•The Torii Gate is the most
common symbol for Shintoism.
•Sacred gateaway
•When Amaterasu emerged from
the rock cave and relighted the
world.
•It marks the entrance to a
sacred space which is the Shinto
Shrine
•Represents the transition
between the world of humans
and the world of gods and
goddesses
•Believed to help prepare the
visitor for their interaction with
spirits by signifying the
 The kojiki and Nihongi are considered as sacred scriptures on
Shinto, although they are not exclusively about Shinto; they
also contain extensive information on Buddhism and
Confucianism
 These books, which are compilations of ancient myths and
traditional teachings, are considered to have a dual purpose:
a political as well as a moral purpose.
 It also emphasizes purification as both a creative and
cleansing act
 Death is considered as the ultimate impurity
• Kojiki is composed of  One of the most important texts on Shintoism
three books: the first is
the age of kami, which
narrates the mythology,
while the second and
third books discuss the
imperial lineage,
narrating the events
concerning the imperial
family up to the death
of the thirty-third ruler,
Empress Suiko
• It just goes to show that
Kojiko is based on the
eternal and cyclical
world of mythology
• It represents a combination  Records the descent of the Yamato rulers of Japan from
of a political purpose with
folklores and myths.
the gods
• It is believed to have been
completed around 720 C.E
• Have become significant in
the restructuring of Japan
by the Yamato rulers, even
in the naming of the
country as Nippon
• It composed of 30 books,
the first two of which
discuss the “age of kami”
while the remaining