84
kami, although godlike, are not
omnipotent: they have limitations
and are fallible. However, not all
kami are good—some can be evil
or demonic. But in their more
benign aspect, they possess
sincerity and a will to truth, or
makoto, and maintain harmony in
the universe through the creative
potency known as musubi.
Shinto’s creator gods
According to the Kojiki, at the
creation of the universe, the first
three kami emerged. These
included the Kamimusubi (divine/
high generative force kami), which
was too abstract to be a focus of
worship. However, after several
generations of formless kami, the
major Shinto gods appear: Izanagi
and Izanami, who created the
world, or “invited it into being.”
Many Shinto myths are devoted
to them and to the activities of
their offspring, Susanoo, the storm
god, Tsukuyomi, the moon god,
and Amaterasu, the sun goddess.
The kami represent the creators
of Japan, the very land itself (as
the spirits of its natural features
and natural forces), and those
who have gone before—Japanese
ancestors. The ritual worship of
these sacred beings therefore
confirms a powerful connection
to Japanese history and tradition.Shrines and temples
A harmonious relationship between
kami and humankind is maintained
by praying and making offerings at
shrines and temples. On entering
a shrine, a ritual of purification is
performed. These rituals are central
to Shinto, for which ideas of purity
and impurity are very important.
Shinto does not have a concept
of original sin, but rather believes
that human beings are born pure,
only becoming tainted by impurity
later. The sources of impurity
are sin (acts within our control)
and pollution (things beyond our
control, such as disease or contact
with death). These impurities, or
tsumi, need to be ritually purified.
Purification rituals may take a
variety of forms, but ceremonial
hand washing and mouth washing
sequences are common to most.
Small shrines known as kami-
dona are found in many Japanese
homes, consisting of a small shelf
displaying objects used to honor
the ancestors and other kami.Shinto priests may be male or female;
their white-clad assistants, or miko, are
often the daughters of priests. Traditional
costumes emphasize Shinto’s connections
with Japan’s great imperial past.Public temples and shrines may
be as large as a village, or as small
as a beehive. They are remarkable
for their simplicity; many originated
as sacred areas around natural
objects such as trees, ponds, or
rocks. Each Shinto temple has
a gateless entrance called a
torii, which usually consists of
a pair of uprights and a crossbar.
Typically, every temple also has
a wall where worshippers may post
wooden votive tablets that bear a
message to the kami, asking, for
example, for success in passing
an exam or help in finding a
suitable marriage partner.
Individual prayers at the
worship hall of a Shinto shrine
follow a set four-step process, after
the initial ritual cleansing. First,
money is put into an offering box.
Next, the worshipper makes two
deep bows before the shrine, then
claps their hands twice, and finally,
after concluding prayers, makesLIVING THE WAY OF THE GODS
As you have blessed the
ruler’s reign...so I bow down
my neck as a cormorant in
search of fish to worship you
through these abundant
offerings on his behalf.
Prayer to Amaterasu