Carrie "Shellie" Cobbs
World Religious Traditions I
REL 133
Robert Mossman
July 21, 2014
Shinto
Shinto is the religion that is indigenous to Japan. Shinto is a ritual based religion and the rituals must be completed with precision and diligence to maintain the connection between the ancient past and modern-day Japan. Shinto is based in mythology on a collection of beliefs from the earliest Japanese writings in the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki. Public shrines that are devoted to multitudes of gods, or kami, that are devoted to various memorials or festivals.
Shinto Theology
The theology and mythology are very foundational in Shinto. The thoughts and stories that started the religion of Shinto are still used and taught to the followers of Shinto today.
Kami
Kami is the word used to describe a god, essence, or spirit. Kami manifests in several forms in nature such as rocks, rivers, animals, and trees. Shintoists believe that kami resides in all things but that there are places in nature that hold more kami than others places. These objects or places are sacred and usually are on or near shrine grounds.
Kannagara
Kannagara is the law of natural order. Understanding Kannagara involves sincerity, purity, honesty, and how to live through the divine.
Amenominakanushi
Amenominakanushi is the concept that is the source of the universe. Amenominakanushi is able to manifest into male, Takamimusubi, and female, Kamimusubi, and is the first of the three kami of creation, zoka sanshin, and one of the five kotoamatsukami, or heavenly gods.
Creation of Japan
Mythology states that two gods, Izanagi, He-who-invites, and Izanami, She-who-is-invited, created the islands of Japan. Legend states that the two gods were called by all the myriad gods and asked to help create a new land. Each of the gods were given a spear and with the spears they stirred the waters of the ocean. The drop of water from the spears created the island of Japan. Izanagi and