A view of some typical Japanese Housing.

The Shinto Religion

Shinto ("the way of the gods") is the indigenous faith of the Japanese people and as old as Japan herself. It remains Japan's major religion next to Buddhism.

Shinto is wholly devoted to life in this world and emphasizes man's essential goodness.

"Shinto gods" are called kami. They are sacred spirits which take the form of things and concepts important to life, such as wind, rain, mountains, trees, rivers and fertility. Humans become kami after they die and are revered by their families as ancestral kami. The kami of extraordinary people are even enshrined at some shrines. The Sun Goddess Amaterasu is considered Shinto's most important kami.

In Shinto there is no absolute right and wrong, and nobody is perfect. Shinto is an optimistic faith, as humans are thought to be fundamentally good, and evil is believed to be caused by evil spirits. Consequently, the purpose of most Shinto rituals is to keep away evil spirits by purification, prayers and offerings to the kami. In Japan there are estimated to be around 8,000,000 kami.


The Shrine

Shinto shrines are places of worship and the dwellings of the kami, the Shinto "gods". Sacred objects of worship that represent the kami are stored in the innermost chamber of the shrine where they cannot be seen by anybody.

The following structures and objects can be typically found at a shrine:

  
One or more Torii gates mark the approach and entrance to a shrine. They come in various colors and are made of various materials. Most Torii, however are made of wood, and many are painted orange, white and black


Found near the entrance, the water of these fountains is used for purification. You are required to clean your hands and mouth before approaching the main hall.


Depending on the shrine's architecture style, the main hall (honden) and offering hall (haiden) are two separate buildings or combined into one building. The main hall's innermost chamber contains the shrine's sacred object, while visitors make their prayers and offerings at the offering hall.

  
Omikuji are fortune telling paper slips or prayers found at many shrines and temples. Randomly drawn, they contain predictions ranging from daikichi ("great good luck") to daikyo ("great bad luck"). By tying the piece of paper around a tree's branch, good fortune will come true or bad fortune can be averted.

  
  
Shrine visitors write their wishes on these wooden plates and then leave them at the shrine in the hope that their wishes come true. Most people wish for good health, success in business, passing entrance exams, love or wealth.

  

There are countless local festivals in Japan because almost every shrine has its own one. Most festivals are held on an annual basis and celebrate events like the coming of the farming season, the harvest, or they commemorate historical events. A festival may be held over several days.

An important element of Shinto festivals are processions. The kami (Shinto "gods") are carried through the streets in mikoshi (palanquins) by people in special dresses. They are accompanied by decorated floats (kasahoko). On these floats, other people may play the drum, flute and other traditional Japanese instruments. Other floats may carry dolls. Every festival has its own characteristics.

  
Graves and roadside idols.

  
Roadside shrines and idols.