What is Shinto and which country follow this religion............?
dint give me link ....give answer
Shinto is the native religion in Japan with its roots stretching back to 500 B.C., and is a poly-theistic one venerating almost any natural objects ranging from mountains, rivers, water, rocks, trees, to dead notables. In other words, it is based on animism.
To dedicate to those diverse deities, shrines were erected in a sacred spots throughout Japan.
Shintoism is primarily a religion of deeds rather than creeds and is structured mainly around shrine rituals. The most important stages of life are recognized at a Shinto shrine, including a baby?s first visit to its tutelary Jami soon after birth, the Shichi-go-San (Seven-Five-Three) festival on Nov 15Th where three and seven year old girls and five year old boys go to pray for good health, and the traditional wedding ceremony.
The Four Affirmations of Shinto Religion.
1. Tradition and the Family.
2. Love of Nature
3. Physical Cleanliness
4. Matsuri
the worship and honor given to the Kami and ancestral spirits
Four Main Shinto Traditions
1. Koshitsu Shinto (the Shinto of the imperial house)
2. Jinja (shrine) Shinto
3. Kyoha (sectarian) Shinto/Shuha
4. Minzoku (folk)Shinto
Shinto established itself as an official religion of Japan, along with Buddhism.
Shinto is a tolerant religion which accepts the validity of other religions.
It is sometimes said that to be Japanese is to be Shinto and to be Shinto is to be Japanese.
Japanese worship a combination of Buddhist, Hindu and Shinto deities in unison
Shinto is a traditional Japanese religion which recognizes and celebrates the sacred, for example, in nature. Courage and beauty are other examples of sacred virtues.
Shinto is a religion of Japan that has integrated into Buddhism and is very compatible with Indian spiritual precepts. It places a value on honor and ancestry as well as deities and has even accepted many Indian deities into its fold. Japanese worship a combination of Buddhist, Hindu and Shinto deities in unison. It holds on to the great heritage of Japan's glorious history.
Shinto is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is best conceived of as a set of practices, carried out diligently to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past.
Shinto is a Japanese religion, one of the LSAT or the original and oldest ones. it is a belief in the way of the gods, and ancestral spirits and things of nature. It's origin is Japan.
It's an animistic religion that tends toward the worship of spirits, both the spirits of living and non-living things. This includes things occurring in nature and things are living and dead. It is a primary religion in Japan. It is sometimes said that to be Japanese is to be Shinto and to be Shinto is to be Japanese. This does not mean that every Japanese is a Shinto, but rather that Shinto is something held very close to the Japanese people.
so that every one should convert to Islam. Otherwise no one save India. Third world war between christian and Muslims. But ins ha Allah will win. Insha Allah will rule the earth.
Shinto is the native religion in Japan with its roots stretching back to 500 B.C., and is a poly-theistic one venerating almost any natural objects ranging from mountains, rivers, water, rocks, trees, to dead notables. In other words, it is based on animism. Natural wonders make the Japanese believe, out of an awe or reverence, that such wonders are created by the mighty, super-natural powers, and the ghost of a deity dwells in such objects. Also great warriors, leaders and scholars are often divined. Thus anything, even a rotten head of a sardine, can be deified, so goes a cynical saying. To dedicate to those diverse deities, shrines were erected in a sacred spots throughout Japan. Among the natural phenomena, the sun is most appealing to Japanese and the Sun Goddess is regarded as the principal deity of Shinto, particularly by the Imperial Family. We Japanese call our nation 'Nippon' in Japanese. It literally denotes 'the Origin of the Sun'. The Japanese national flag is simple, one red disk in the center, and it symbolizes the sun. (Not the empire that the sun never sets.)
The Japanese mythology relates that there was the goddess of the sun and the ruler of the heaven named Amaterasu, who was believed to be the legendary ancestor of the current Imperial Family. It asserts that she was once so offended by the misdeeds of her brother that she came down to the earth and hid in a cave. The universe was plunged into pitch darkness and evil thrived. The gods and goddesses gathered near the cave to talk about how to get her out. They held a party and a goddess began to dance in front of the cave, causing the crowd to roar with delight. As she whirled about, her clothes fell off, drawing cheers from the other gods. Curious about the fuss, Amaterasu peeked out from behind a jumbo rock blocking the cave's entrance. The dancing goddess held up a mirror and said, "We are dancing to celebrate for a new goddess."Amaterasu came out to see the new goddess, but what she saw was her own reflection. A powerful god grabbed her out and told never to hide again. (Picture, left: A mini-shrine installed at a shopping mall near Kawasaki Station, East Japan Railway.)
Today's Emperor Akihito (1933-) is said to be the 125Th direct descendant of Emperor Jinmu, Japan's legendary first emperor and a mythical descendant of Amaterasu. Though not often referred to today, the Japanese calendar year starts from 660 B.C., the year of her accession. The reigning emperors were considered to be the direct descendant of the Sun Goddess and revered as a living god at one time or another. When the Pacific War was imminent in 1940, the fascist government was boasting it was the year of 2600 to exalt the national prestige, and it even made a song celebrating the 2600Th anniversary.
In the Kamakura Period (1185-1333), however, Shinto was emancipated from the Buddhism domination by the military dictators, and Shintoist claimed that Shinto divinities were not incarnation of the Buddha but that Buddha himself was rather manifestation of Shinto deities. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine used to be a typical mixture of Shinto and Buddhism elements and a prime example of synergism as Yoritomo Minamoto (1147-1199), the founder of the Shrine, was in the lineage of the Imperial Family.
After the Meiji Imperial Restoration of 1868, the Emperor restored the sovereignty, and the new government institutionalized Shinto as the official state religion while implementing restrictive policies against Buddhism and other religions including Christianity. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine had to remove or thrown away all of its structures and objects associated with Buddhism. The Emperor turned living god, and those who dared to gaze directly at the divine Emperor were subject to arrest. Some critics say it was more fascistic than today's North Korea since Kim Jong Il is not divinized yet. Today's emperor is no longer a god, of course, but a symbol of the state and of the unity of the people, according to the Constitution. Shinto, however, continues to be the Imperial Family's religion, and traditional Shinto rituals are taking place in the Imperial Palace regularly. Its influences can be seen on the Japanese national holidays, many of which originate in Shinto rituals.
In general, Shinto has no canon of written scriptures like the Bible or the Koran, though ceremonial prayer called norito (a formulary statement addressed to the deity) is chanted by shrine priests. Nor is it an iconolatry. Most of Shinto shrines house sacred objects such as mirrors (the symbol of the Sun Goddess), swords and jewel (those three objects are the imperial regalia) on the altar, where the gods are believed to reside, and the objects serve as spirit substitutes for the gods.
For a Shinto worshiper, purification is essential before offering a prayer and it is performed through exorcism called Harai, cleaning one's body with water. It is called Misogi {me-soh-ghe}, and abstention from defilement or Imi {e-me}. In a large shrine, there is a stone wash-basin and visitors are required to rinse their mouth and hands for Misogi before approaching the deity.
* Komainu, or guard dogs
In front of shrines, there are a pair of dog-statues facing each other. They are guardian dogs and identical to Deva of Buddhist temples, one on the right always has its mouth open and as if to say "ah" while the other has its mouth closed and looks like saying "um".
* Method of prayer
The method of prayer before the alter at shrines is quite distinct from that of Buddhist temples. As part of prayer ritual, worshipers bow twice, clap their hands twice (to make sure the god is listening?), bow once more and then (or before the prayer) throw coins into a offertory box.
A full-fledged Shinto shrine is made of two-part structure as represented by the famous Nikko Toshogu Shrine in Tochigi Prefecture: one is the oratory called Haiden, before which worshipers say a prayer, and the other is the inner sanctum called Honden, the main dwelling of the deity built behind the Haiden. In contrast to Buddhist temples, Honden contains no statues but houses symbolical and sacred objects of worship such as mirrors and swords, in which the spirit of the deity is believed to reside. As its nature of sanctuary shows, the laity can never get access to the sacred Honden. Haiden is more spacious than Honden as it is used for rituals and ceremonies.
it is wonderful where from you are getting this great in formations. it is all must know about what is Shinto and other connected details.
Shintoism is primarily a religion of deeds rather than creeds and is structured mainly around shrine rituals. The most important stages of life are recognized at a Shinto shrine, including a baby?s first visit to its tutelary Jami soon after birth, the Shichi-go-San (Seven-Five-Three) festival on Nov 15Th where three and seven year old girls and five year old boys go to pray for good health, and the traditional wedding ceremony. Shintoism dates back to preliterate Japan and originates from varied pagan rituals.
The Four Affirmations of Shinto Religion.
1. Tradition and the Family.
family is the main mechanism by which traditions are preserved
celebrated mainly through weddings and births
2. Love of Nature
nature is sacred
to be in contact with nature is to be in contact with the gods
3. Physical Cleanliness
The most common form of purification is ablution (Misogi) where followers of Shintoism take baths, wash their hands and rinse out their mouths before worshiping in a shrine
4. Matsuri
the worship and honor given to the Kami and ancestral spirits
Kami are spirits found in every living creature, natural object, or deceased spirit which while not entirely similar, might be compared to the western idea of the soul
Izanagi (male) and Izanami (female) are the two Jami from which all else was made, however the closest thing to a 'central' spirit found in shintoism is Amaterasu the female Sun kami.
Four Main Shinto Traditions
1. Koshitsu Shinto (the Shinto of the imperial house)
Practiced by the Emperor mainly in devotion to Amaterasu (the female sun kami)
2. Jinja (shrine) Shinto
largest practicing group
in its original form closely aligned with State-Shinto
3. Kyoha (sectarian) Shinto/Shuha Shinto
made of up of 13 sects in the late 19th century/20th century
this division of Shintoism tends to have a cluster of worshipers around one specific diety much like western religions
4. Minzoku (folk)Shinto
made up of rural practices and rituals
often seen by road side shrines or tributes.
The word Shinto ("Way of the Gods") was adopted from the written Chinese (??),[3] combining two kanji: "shin" (??), meaning kami; and "t?" (??), or "do" meaning a philosophical path or study (originally from the Chinese word tao). Kami are defined in English as "spirits", "essences" or "deities", that are associated with many understood formats; in some cases being human-like, in others being animistic, and others being associated with more abstract "natural" forces in the world (mountains, rivers, lightning, wind, waves, trees, rocks). Kami and people are not separate; they exist within the same world and share its interrelated complexity.
800 BC-2010 Search other dates
Search Results 660 BCApr 660 BC - Amaterasu, the sun-goddess, is supposed to have been born from the left eye of Izanagi, the Creator. From her was descended Jimmu Tenno, the first human ruler of Japan, according to the Japanese, who ascended the throne on the seventh of April, 660 BC She is ...
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From Full text of "An encyclopaedia of religions" - Related web pages
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300 BC300 BC - It reached Japan under the missionary system (cause buddhism allows missionaries , not Hinduism) under Ashokha who lived in around 300 BC who spread the religion into China, Indochina, Sri Lanka and Asia Minor. So the advent of buddhism predates Shintoism by ...
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532 AD532 AD - Buddhism was introduced into Japan in 532 AD Up to this time Shintoism had continued to be the sole religion of Japan, during some twelve hundred years at least. It is called by the Japanese themselves, Kami-no- michi, or "The Way of the Gods."
Shinto is an ancient Japanese religion. Starting about 500 BCE (or earlier) it was originally "an amorphous mix of nature worship, fertility cults, divination techniques, hero worship, and shamanism." 4Its name was derived from the Chinese words "shin Tao" ("The Way of the Gods") in the 8Th Century CE. At that time:
The Yamato dynasty consolidated its rule over most of Japan.
Divine origins were ascribed to the imperial family.
Shinto established itself as an official religion of Japan, along with Buddhism.
About 84% of the population of Japan follow two religions: both Shinto and Buddhism. As in much of Asia, Christianity is very much a minority religion.
Shinto exists in four main forms or traditions:
Koshitsu Shinto (The Shinto of the Imperial House): This involves rituals performed by the emperor, who the Japanese Constitution defines to be the "symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." The most important ritual is Niinamesai, which makes an offering to the deities of the first fruits of each year's grain harvest. Male and female clergy (Shoten and Nai-Shoten) assist the emperor in the performance of these rites.
Jinja (Shrine) Shinto: This is the largest Shinto group. It was the original form of the religion; its roots date back into Prue-history. Until the end of World War II, it was closely aligned with State Shinto. The Emperor of Japan was worshipped as a living God. Almost all shrines in Japan are members of Jinja Honcho, the Association of Shinto Shrines. It currently includes about 80,000 shrines as members. The association urges followers of Shinto
1."To be grateful for the blessings of Kami and the benefits of the ancestors, and to be diligent in the observance of the Shinto rites, applying oneself to them with sincerity. brightness, and purity of heart."
2."To be helpful to others and in the world at large through deeds of service without thought of rewards, and to seek the advancement of the world as one whose life mediates the will of Kami."
3."To bind oneself with others in harmonious acknowledgment of the will of the emperor, praying that the country may flourish and that other peoples too may live in peace and prosperity.
Kyoha (Sectarian) Shinto (aka Shuha Shinto): This consists of 13 sects which were founded by individuals since the start of the 19th century. Each sect has its own beliefs and doctrines. Most emphasize worship of their own central deity; some follow a near-monotheistic religion.
Minzoku (Folk) Shinto This is not a separate Shinto group; it has no formal central organization or creed. It is seen in local rural practices and rituals, e.g. small images by the side of the road, agriculture rituals practiced by individual families, etc. A rural community will often select a layman annually, who will be responsible for worshiping the local deity.
These four forms are closely linked. Shinto is a tolerant religion which accepts the validity of other religions. It is common for a believer to pay respects to other religions, their practices and objects of worship.
Shinto (A, Shint??) or Jami-no-michi is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is best conceived of as a set of practices, carried out diligently to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written historical records of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki in the 7Th and 8Th century. Still, these earliest Japanese writings do not refer to a unified "Shinto religion", but rather to disorganized folklore, history, and mythology. Shinto today is a term that applies to public shrines suited to various purposes such as war memorials, harvest festivals, romance, and historical monuments, as well as various sectarian organizations. Practitioners express their diverse beliefs through a standard language and practice, adopting a similar style in dress and ritual, dating from around the time of the Nara and Heian Periods.
The word Shinto ("Way of the Gods") was adopted from the written Chinese (A), combining two ganja: "shin" (??), meaning Jami; and "t?" (??), or "do" meaning a philosophical path or study (originally from the Chinese word tao). Kami are defined in English as "spirits", "essences" or "deities", that are associated with many understood formats; in some cases being human-like, in others being animistic, and others being associated with more abstract "natural" forces in the world (mountains, rivers, lightning, wind, waves, trees, rocks). Kami and people are not separate; they exist within the same world and share its interrelated complexity.
There are currently 119 million official practitioners of Shinto in Japan, although a person who practices any manner of Shinto rituals may be so counted. The vast majority of Japanese people who take part in Shinto rituals also practice Buddhist ancestor worship. However, unlike many monotheistic religious practices, Shinto and Buddhism typically do not require professing faith to be a believer or a practitioner, and as such it is difficult to query for exact figures based on self-identification of belief within Japan. Due to the syncretic nature of Shinto and Buddhism, most "life" events are handled by Shinto and "death" or "afterlife" events are handled by Buddhism?for example, it is typical in Japan to register or celebrate a birth at a Shinto shrine, while funeral arrangements are generally dictated by Buddhist tradition?although the division is not exclusive.
Types of Shinto
To distinguish between these different focuses of emphasis within Shinto, many feel it is important to separate Shinto into different types of Shinto expression.
Shrine Shinto (????, jinja-shint??) is the most prevalent of the Shinto types. It has always been a part of Japan's history and constitutes the main current of Shinto tradition. Shrine Shinto is associated in the popular imagination with summer festivals, good luck charms, making wishes, holding groundbreaking ceremonies, and showing support for the nation of Japan. Before the Meiji Restoration, shrines were disorganized institutions usually attached to Buddhist temples, but they were claimed by the government during the imperial period for patriotic use and systematized. The successor to the imperial organization, the Association of Shinto Shrines, oversees about 80,000 shrines nationwide.
Imperial Shinto (Ky?ch?-shint?) is the religious rites performed exclusively by the Imperial Family at the three shrines on the Imperial grounds, including the Ancestral Spirits Sanctuary (K?rei-den) and the Sanctuary of the Kami (Shin-den).
Folk Shinto (????, minzoku-shint??) includes the numerous but fragmented folk beliefs in deities and spirits. Practices include divination, spirit possession, and shamanic healing. Some of their practices come from Taoism, Buddhism, or Confucianism, but most come from ancient local traditions.
Sect Shinto (????, sh?ha-shint??) is a legal designation originally created in the 1890s to separate government-owned shrines from local religious practices. They do not have shrines, but conduct religious activities in meeting halls. Shinto sects include the mountain-worship sects, who focus on worshipping mountains like Mount Fuji, faith-healing sects, purification sects, Confucian sects, and Revival Shinto sects. The remainder of Sectarian Shinto is New Sect Shinto. The current groups of Sect Shinto are Kurozumikyo, Shinto Shuseiha, Izumo Oyashirokyo, Fusokyo, Jikkokyo, Shinshukyo, Shinto Taiseikyo, Ontakekyo, Shinto Taikyo, Misogikyo, Shinrikyo and Konkokyo. An association of Sect Shintoists also exists.
Koshint? (???, ko-shint??), literally "Old Shinto", is a reconstructed "Shinto from before the time of Buddhism", today based on Ainu and Ryukyuan practices. It continues the Restoration movement begun by Hirata Atsutane.
What is Shinto and which country follow this religion............?
