WHAT MARKS A SACRED PLACE?
Followers of Shinto consider nature to
be sacred, so their places of worship are
often found in beautiful natural settings.
Natural sacred places are marked with a
thick rope (shimenawa) tied around a tree or rock.
Shinto shrines, which are built to house at least one
kami, are marked by a simple torii, or gateway.FIND OUT MORE. Eastern Asia 268–269 • Local Religions 283
284 Society and Beliefs
Shinto (“the way of the gods”) is Japan’s oldest religion
and centres on the worship of kami, or spirits. These are
believed to inhabit any powerful or impressive natural
phenomena, such as the wind or Mount Fuji.
Zoroaster (or Zarathustra) lived around the 13th century
BCE in Iran. He taught that people should choose between
the opposing forces of good and evil. His teachings
were highly influential on later religions.
WHEN DID SHINTO BEGIN?
No one knows how old Shinto is, for its origins lie
deep in prehistory. Its main elements probably
appeared from the 4th century BCE onwards. Although
most Shinto worship relates to earthly kami, Shinto
texts written around 700 CE also mention heavenly
kami, who are responsible for creating the world.HOW DO PARSIS WORSHIP?
Zoroastrian religious buildings are called Fire Temples.
Zoroastrians perform prayer rituals before a sacred
fire, where incense and sandalwood are burnt. This is
believed to represent the god Ahura Mazda, source of
light and life. Zarathustra’s teachings are read or sung
from the sacred Avesta scripture.WHAT MAKES A PARSI?
Zoroastrianism was the official religion of the Persian
Empire. When that empire fell, some of its followers,
after a period of much religious persecution, moved
to India, where they became known as Parsis (“people
from Persia”). Young Parsis are initiated into the faith
at the age of seven, in a ceremony called Navjote.1 MATSURI PARADE
The matsuri, or festival, is a shrine’s most important annual event.
Local people carry an image of the local kami through the streets in
a portable shrine or mikoshi. The ceremony blesses
both the neighbourhood and the carriers.FIND OUT MORE. Persian Empire 375 • Western Asia and the Middle East 264–265
Shinto
FARAVAHAR 3
This symbol, known as the
faravahar, represents the
immortal human soul, and by
extension the Zoroastrian religion. Its human
face indicates its connection to humankind.Zoroastrianism
4 AMATERASU EMERGES
The most important kami is the
sun goddess Amaterasu, who is
also associated with the imperial
family. Here she is shown
emerging from her cave and
restoring sunlight to the world.TORII GATE 1
The distinctive torii arch
symbolizes the border between
the human world and the kami
world. The best-known example
is the floating torii off the island
of Miyajima, near Hiroshima.NAVJOTE INITIATION 3
A young initiate receives the
kusti, or sacred thread, which is
wrapped three times around the
waist, and undone during prayers.Three layers of feathers on the
wings represent good words,
good thoughts, and good
deeds, while the three layers on
the tail represent the oppositeZoroastrianismShinto