Japan is known to be one of the world's leading countries in science and technology, international politics and trade. But, despite the economic miracle that occurred in this state after the Second World War, its people still retained their unique identity. It is she who significantly distinguishes the Japanese from the rest of the world. Yes, their culture borrowed a lot from other nations. But they successfully managed to adapt all the innovations to their traditions. However, the primordial religion of the Japanese still remains the unchanged cultural basis of the Land of the Rising Sun.
Folk beliefs
Despite the high development of information technology, Japanese culture is still a mystery to Westerners. This is especially true of ancient beliefs. If you ask what religion the Japanese profess, many will answer that Buddhism. But this statement is not entirely correct, since this dogma penetrated the islands from China only in the 6th century. It was then that the first Buddhist monks began to come to these lands. They brought with themsacred books written in their own language. The following question arises: what religion did the Japanese have before the advent of Buddhism?
Scientists have proven that initially every nation had its own beliefs, which implied a certain religious practice that had nothing to do with the church hierarchy. It was a whole series of actions and ideas that were based on superstitions, prejudices, etc.
Ancient cults
Japan has long worshiped various living beings. One of the most widespread was the cult of the fox. The deity in the form of this animal with a human body and mind was dedicated to special temples that have survived to this day. People with the so-called fox nature still gather there. Falling into a trance to the sound of drums and heart-rending howls of priests, they think that a sacred spirit is infused in them, sending them the gift of seers who can predict the future.
Besides the fox, the Japanese also worship other living creatures, such as snakes, turtles, dragonflies and even molluscs. Until recently, the wolf was considered the dominant animal. He was called the spirit of the mountains Okami. Peasants usually asked him to protect their crops and themselves from various troubles and misfortunes, fishermen - to send a fair wind, etc. But no matter what animal the ancient and modern islanders worship, these are just beliefs. About what the Japanese religion is actually called and what it is, let's try to figure it out in this article.
Shinto is the way of the gods
According to the universal recognition of scientists, the ancient religion on the islands of Japan developed separately from the Chinese, and reliable sources of its origin have not yet been found. It is called Shinto, or the way of the gods. In truth, for most Japanese, the origin and essence of this religion is not so important, for them it is both tradition, history and life itself.
Shinto can be compared with ancient mythology, and the meaning and purpose of Shinto itself is to assert the originality of the culture of Japan and the divine origin of its people. According to this religion, first came the emperor (mikado), who is a descendant of heavenly spirits, and then each of the Japanese - his offspring (kami). In this case, the ancestors, more precisely, the souls of the deceased patrons of families, are considered the object of worship.
Written sources
The main religious documents of Shintoism are two collections of myths - Nihongi and Kojiki, written by the emperor's courtiers after 712, as well as detailed instructions with ancient prayers and rituals - Engishiki. Historians believe, since these written sources appeared much later than the events in question, there may be some distortion of the original spiritual practices and beliefs of Shinto. But be that as it may, they show that the ancient Japanese, whose religion and traditions were centered mainly around their family and clan, as well as agricultural holidays, idolized life.
Shamans who performed the duties of clergymen andthey spoke with believers on behalf of their ancestors (kami), were considered warriors who fought evil spirits. They invoked the gods using Kagura, sacred dances traditional for this religion, performed by young girls. It's safe to say that much of traditional Japanese art, music, and literature has its roots in the ancient shamanic rituals of Shinto.
Basic Religious Concepts
Very interesting is the view of the world that the believing Japanese have managed to form. The Shinto religion is based on five main concepts, and the first of them sounds like this: the world was not created by God - it arose by itself, and it is not just good, but perfect.
The second concept celebrates the power of life. According to Japanese mythology, the first sex took place between deities. That is why morality and physical intimacy between a man and a woman in the minds of the Japanese are in no way connected. It follows from this that everything natural should be respected, and everything “not pure” should be condemned, but at the same time everything can be purified. Due to such beliefs, the Japanese tend to adapt almost any modernization, cleaning and adjusting it according to their traditions.
The third concept of Shinto is the unity of history and nature. This religion of the Japanese does not divide the world into living and non-living things, that is, a kami lives in a person, animal or any thing. This deity does not live in the other world, but lives with people, so believers do not need to seek salvation somewhere else - it is constantly nearby, ineveryday life.
The fourth concept is polytheism. Since Shinto is closely associated with tribal deities, it appeared from cults that sang the nature of a particular area. Various magical and shamanic rites only by the 5th or 6th century began to gradually lead to a certain uniformity, and then only when the emperor decided to take control of the activities of all Shinto shrines. At the same time, a specially created department compiled a list of all Shinto gods, which turned out to be neither more nor less, but 3132! Over time, their number only increased.
National religion of the Japanese
The last concept of Shinto has a national psychological basis. According to her, the kami gods did not create all people, but only the Japanese, so almost from the cradle, every inhabitant of the Land of the Rising Sun knows that he belongs to this religion. This teaching has formed two models of behavior. On the one hand, kami are associated only with the Japanese nation, so it would look ridiculous and ridiculous if any foreigner starts practicing Shinto. On the other hand, every believing Shintoist can become an adherent of any other religious doctrine at the same time.
Religious practice
It must be said right away that the life of Shintoists is quite diverse, although it revolves mainly around shrines. The designations of the sacred land are torii, which are large gates resembling the Greek letter "P" in shape with two horizontal rails. Further, on the way to the mainthe building of the sanctuary, there will certainly be specially prepared places intended for the ablutions of believers.
Creating their ritual structures, the Japanese, whose religion, as it turned out, is significantly different from other religions, divide them into several zones. Shintai (the incarnation of kami) is always placed in a place of honor. It can be a sword, some kind of jewelry or a mirror. It is worth noting that the shintai itself is not an object of worship: believers pray to the deity that lives in this item.
Cleansing ritual
Perhaps the Japanese take it most seriously. The Shinto religion traditionally requires special purity. For example, a woman who goes to worship before reaching the main sanctuary must stop to take a ritual bath. After that, she burns incense or makes an offering by dropping a coin into a special donation box.
When approaching the sanctuary, a woman should turn to face the altar and, bowing her head, clap her hands twice, and then put her hands in front of her face with palms together. This ritual is meant to summon the kami, but it can also be performed at home. The fact is that in many Japanese homes there are kami-dana - small family altars where they conduct a ritual of honoring ancestors.
Religious celebrations
The main holiday of Shintoism is the annual matsuri, which in some temples can be celebrated twice a year. This word contains the concept of allritual system, which includes not only the religion of the Japanese, but also their way of life. Usually these festivities are associated with harvesting or the beginning of agricultural work, as well as with any memorable date associated with the history of the sanctuary itself or the local deity.
I must say that the Japanese, whose religion is so democratic, are very fond of arranging magnificent festivities. The servants of the temples inform everyone in advance about them, without exception, therefore matsuri holidays always gather large crowds of people who are happy to participate both in ceremonies and in numerous entertainments. Some shrines even hold celebrations akin to colorful carnivals.
