Shinto - Tumblr Posts
早朝の神社っていいよね
Photo taken after worshipping God.
June 2018
ずらーっと
road approaching a shrine.
June 2018
海が見える鳥居
海の安全を見守る神様目線？
海へ続く道とか階段とか、いいよね。
August 2023
Sakatsura Isosaki Shrine（酒列磯前神社）. Shrines in Ibaraki, Japan.
Beyond the tree-covered approach road.
Very beautiful shrine near the sea. Come and see.
August 2023
神様が夜更かししている理由は
祭りじゃー
コロナ明けじゃー
今日はちびっ子も夜更かししても怒られない！
August 2023
Sean bienvenidos japonistasarqueologicos a una nueva entrega del país del sol naciente en la que os, hablaré del Santuario Arashihiban, una vez dicho esto pónganse cómodos que empezamos. - El santuario Arashihiban, se localiza en la prefectura de Miyagi al noreste de Japón, en la isla de Honshu. Aragshinkan ¿A qué dios está dedicado? Es un dios que está envuelto en muchos misterios, además, es adorado en las regiones de Tohoku y Kanto. Arashiben-jinja se localiza en la ciudad de Tagajo y se desconoce la fecha exacta de cuando se construyó, pero consta en los registros del año 1774. - ¿En qué consiste el Tsugarusoto Sangunshi? Se trata de un antiguo documento, que fue descubierto por Kihachiro Wada. Sin embargo, ahora se podría tratar de una falsificación, Arahabaki aparece más el nombre de una familia que gobernó la región de Tsugaru(correspondería a los terratenientes europeos en Japón se les conoce como daimyō, en hiragana みょう). Dejen en los comentarios vuestra opinión, para debatirlo. - Espero que os haya gustado y nos vemos en próximas publicaciones que pasen una linda semana. Welcome Japanese archaeologists to a new installment from the land of the rising sun in which I will talk about the Arashihiban Shrine, so once you have said that, make yourselves comfortable and let's get started. - Arashihiban Shrine is located in Miyagi Prefecture in northeastern Japan, on the island of Honshu. Aragshinkan Which god is it dedicated to? It is a god that is shrouded in mystery and is worshipped in the Tohoku and Kanto regions. Arashiben-jinja is located in the city of Tagajo and the exact date of its construction is unknown, but it is recorded as being built in 1774. - What is the Tsugarusoto Sangunshi? It is an ancient document, which was discovered by Kihachiro Wada. However, it could now be a forgery, Arahabaki appears more the name of a family that ruled the Tsugaru region (corresponding to European landowners in Japan are known as daimyō, in hiragana みょう). Leave in the comments your opinion, for discussion. - I hope you liked it and see you in future posts have a nice week.
日本の考古学者の皆さん、日出ずる国からの新しい回にようこそ！今回は嵐播神社についてお話しします。 - 嵐播神社は宮城県にある。荒神館 どの神様を祀っているのですか？謎に包まれた神で、東北地方と関東地方で信仰されている。荒祭神社は多賀城市にあり、正確な創建年代は不明だが、1774年に創建されたと記録されている。 - 津軽外三郡誌とは？和田喜八郎によって発見された古文書である。しかし、現在では偽書である可能性もあり、アラハバキはむしろ津軽地方を支配していた一族の名前に見える。議論のために、あなたの意見をコメントに残してください。 - それではまた、良い一週間をお過ごしください。
...Y'know, I really need to thank you for this, because I've been struggling with the fact I have a crush on Amaterasu...
Hey.
It’s ok to have a bit of a crush on your deities.
Like hello they’re beings that accept you for who you are, love you and appreciate you, are always there for you, and let’s be real a bunch of them are pretty as fuck. Why WOULDN’T someone have a crush on them? If you can have a parental, best friend, sibling, or even just strictly devotee/deity like relationship, then why would it be wrong to have a bit of a crush?
Of course, no god will be going after anyone underage. Like hello they’re deities, they know that’s wrong. But who didn’t have a bit of a crush on an older celebrity or something as a teen? They’ll just see it as ‘aw, that’s cute’ the way we see kittens and puppies cute, something that’s endearing and sweet, and leave it at that, as any responsible adult would. Maybe they’ll gently tell you change your perspective if they’re seeking a different dynamic with you. And that’s ok.
I’m no expert on godpartnering or anything like that, but the fact it’s even a thing means deities have been knowing about us mortals getting all heart eyed for them for centuries. I promise you it’s nothing they haven’t seen before.
So yes, it’s ok to be a little giddy and leg-kicking for your deities. It’s totally normal for someone who experiences a romantic kind of attraction to have feelings. We all have feelings. The gods know that.
Ok so I just learned that apparently when Buddhism was new in Japan, many monastics believed that the Kami, being sentient beings, were subject to Saṁsāra like every other. So they would read Sūtra to the Kami at their shrines or dwellings to teach them about Buddhism and I had the thought of a Monastic reading the Dharmacakrapravartana Sūtra to a Kitsune lazing on some rocks or something. I wish I had the chops to attempt the art.
Winter Light, Shinjuku 新宿
Things Westerners Need to Know About Shintō
We worship kamisama, not ‘gods’. If you have to, ‘deities’ is OK to say but kami are not gods.
It is not okay to combine Shinto with anything other than Buddhism, which it has been historically connected with. If you practice something else, keep it separate.
Do not use Shinto or the kami in your western witchcraft or paganism. Those are very separate. Japanese culture has its own methods of sorcery and such which I will not share here as of now.
It is imperative that you use the appropriate suffixes for kamisama. Post on that upcoming.
It’s “Shinto”, not “Shintoism”. “Shinto practitioner” not “Shintoist”.
Don’t exoticize it. Orientalists GTFO.
Shinto is an open tradition. That said, there are certain rules to follow, and you still must keep in mind that you are an outsider to the culture and need to learn about it. Just because it lacks a doctrine does not make it a free-for-all.
Is Shinto an Open Religion?
The answer is: yes!!!!
This is really important to talk about as a lot of Shinto, both in and outside of Japan, there are nationalists and reactionary figures within Shinto.
That said, this does not mean Shinto can be used for whatever ends or decontextualized from Japanese culture. It being open is no excuse to give out misinformation, bastardize it etc. Open religions deserve respect too.
You must be ordained to be a priest/priestess. Unlike with paganism, you cannot simply claim to be a priest/priestess with no training. You have to be fluent in Japanese to be ordained, unless you are Konko.
There is also a lot of fetishization of shrine maidens 巫女 (miko). This too requires training, and is not equal to being a priestess. It is often a temporary job, and is considered lower in rank than priest/priestesses (due to a myriad of factors including misogyny and history). I have seen many Westerners who enter Shinto with the desire to be a miko like in anime without even knowing a kamisama personally. Do not do this.
How to get started.
The one thing I see the most from people interested in beginning the practice of Shinto is I can’t afford a Kamidana. That being the shelf where the individual centers their ritual activities. The term Kamidana refers to the shelf that is dedicated to the kami. Typically translated as god shelf.
You do not need one of those fancy mini-shrines. The correct name of which is actually Omiya, お宮, or miyagata, which means shrine model. The term Kamidana refers to the whole set up regardless of how much is actually there.
Keep reading
How do I take care of my god, and how does my god take care of me? (Aiyo Kakeyo)
*Note: this is in the context of Konko style worship, though it applies to gods of many pagan traditions and religions as well. One of the best concepts I love in Konkokyo is the teaching of Aiyo Kakeyo (Interdependence). This really helped me understand the kami, and become closer to them. Essentially, kami/gods are not all powerful. They are powerful indeed, but, they need us, as much as we need them. It’s the law of nature and the universe; everything depends on each other to live. In my belief and experience, this applies to all gods. Even the god that is the spirit of the universe itself. Now, how do we take care of our gods, and how do we help them? And in turn, how do they do the same for us? Or why are they even wanting to? 1. A relationship together
This all begins when you build up a relationship with a god. You can worship any god you like; but the real devotion and relationship begins when the god essentially calls out to you. When you feel drawn to a particular god or spirit or entity, this is the most powerful connection. I could visit a Susanoo shrine, and I respect Susanoo and am on friendly terms, and I could leave an offering and pray, but we’re not connected. (Though this doesn’t mean Susanoo will ignore my prayers, he still has this duty as a deity). However, if I visit an Inari shrine, it will feel like home since Inari and I are very very close! Essentially, when you have this relationship, you begin a path on being able to have an aiyo-kakeyo type relationship easily. If you don’t feel connected to any particular god or spirit, there’s always nature/the universe (I refer to as Kami-sama). In this case, the universe still depends on you, and if you treat it kindly and with care, you will realize more blessings and lead a happier and peaceful life. 2. Creating the altar
An altar is an important space for deity and you! The altar or shrine is essentially the powerful place where your worlds meet and it is the focus of your daily worship. Also, it acts as a nice resting place for a deity when they would like to call to you or visit you in your home. The altar is important because without it, you have no place to focus prayers, and the deity you are close with has nowhere specific to use as a temporary landing to listen to prayers or requests or even visit. :( However, if circumstances mean you cannot build one, it’s best to build an altar in your heart, meaning, always keep the god in your heart. An altar is like your god’s guest room. So it’s good to decorate with their ‘things’ like images, objects with their name, objects relating to them or their favourite things, and offerings for food and comfort! You can have an altar for more than one deity, and that’s fine, just make sure there’s space and the deities get along pretty well, in most cases, they do. But always do reasearch :) (Can you imagine sharing a room with someone you didn’t enjoy’s company? yikes!) For example, having an altar to Aphrodite and Eos…they don’t quite see eye to eye. They wouldn’t take it out on you, but for their sake, it’s best to be respectful.
(As a side note, a blatant, intentional disrespectful altar or shrine will be completely ignored by the god/goddess. Possibly even incur the anger of them. But that’s obvious!) 3. Offerings
Gods enjoy offerings! Why, they don’t eat, right? Well, offerings are good because they reflect your heart. The important thing about ANY offering…. Offer it with a sincere and true heart you could have worked your hardest to make chocolate chip cookies, but they came out a funky shape. But since you poured your heart into it, and you really wanted to make them for your deity, they will see those cookies as the most decadent morsels ever! Likewise, if you think of it as a chore, and offer store bought cookies you bought while annoyed and frustrated, they will think those are horrible and stale. This is the nature of offerings. You have to be sincere. Giving offerings properly connects you to the gods. After we offer food, we eat the food, and so we connect with the kami and gods! Both of us are mutually happy. Offerings aren’t mandatory, but it makes both god and human happy, so why not try? :) More blessings are realized and more connection is established. We also become aware of the blessings of where our food comes from and how it sustains us You don’t have to offer food though, you can also offer up artworks, objects, items, plants, and the kami will happily bless them ! (I have a bamboo I offered, it’s been healthy for 10 long months!) 4. Daily life
Having a relationship with your god and having nice offerings at the altar and communicating with them and doing spirit work all day sounds super nice and ideal, but the truth is as a human we have responsibilities Many of us work, have school, have family, friends, pets, that all need attending to! With all these, how do I have time to talk to gods or spirits? Well, the gods are always with you, or at least keeping tabs on you. But you may not always realize it because we’re so wrapped up in our lives. That’s fine! But, if we can find a way to invite the gods into our physical lives, and not just talk to them at the altars or alone, our life improves as well.
Basically, I used to go to school, come home, offer, eat, say some prayers, then go back to things I had to do Now….I go to school, but I communicate/pray to my gods at school in my heart/mind. I ask their opinion on things, and the feeling I get is where I go from there. I am always trying to communicate with them or invite them into my daily life, and things are more fun and interesting. If I’m in trouble, I call on them for help, or for advice, or anything. They are helping me, and in return, I go home and help them as well by caretaking their altar/shrine and leaving offerings and prayers of thanks and appreciation. (Prayers/devotions to a deity lift up their spirits and thus power). Don’t you feel stronger when people praise you? And I do the same routine, but then after still ask them to be in my life daily. You can try too! Step by step, just try. Ask your god, if you’re at work, just random things, let’s say you’re waiting at the cash, and you can ask, for example, “Hey Loki, what do you think of today? Pretty quiet?” You may not hear anything, but you may get a feeling of happiness or an emotion, and it’s your deity trying to connect. Sometimes even funny things may happen at work or school. Try it out :) Don’t be distant or seperate! 5. Answering requests
This may either be a specialized listing or one reserved for a deeper connection. But sometimes the gods will ask you to do something for them. Remember: you can always refuse if you are not ready or uncomfortable. Some gods may not know what you are quite ready to do. And, never accept a request from a deity you are not super close with or work with often! For example, a deity you are not close with may ask you to do something mean, like try out a dangerous spell or steal objects or buy certain things to do a ritual. If you feel uncomfortable, never do so. You are under protection naturally by the universe itself (Kami-sama) so never feel afraid to refuse. Now in my case, Inari asked me to help someone understand that Inari was the one calling out to them. That was fine for me to assist Inari with!! In fact I was happy to do so, and as a result we grew closer. But let’s say you’re not cool with talking to someone about spirituality; you don’t have to do it! If you are close to that deity, they will understand! :) If you agree to a request a deity asks of you, and it’s for a good cause, you will grow closer to that deity, and they will be grateful to you! :) —- With all these things, you’ll be taking care of your god, and helping them, and in return they do their best to help you and take care of you in your daily life. Like with any type of relationship with people, with gods it’s the same. Treat others as you want to be treated!
Home Altars
Does Shinto have altars? Right off hand a lot of people are going to say yes, but wait. There's more... The thing is, the answer might not actually be what you'd think. That is, it kind of sort of does, but not so much in the western sense of the word.
To really understand this we need to understand what an altar is supposed to be in the classical sense. According to Wiki “An altar is a structure upon which offerings, such as sacrifices, are made for religious purposes.”
Is a Kamidana an Altar? Well, the answer would be no, it’s not. Yes, I know, the Kamidana is often called an altar and fits the generalized definition of an altar. But at the same time it does not fit the classic definition because it’s not a place of sacrifices. True, it’s a central point of home worship, offerings are made, but it’s not necessarily an altar. It would be more accurate to refer to a Kamidana as the home Shinto Sanctuary. In the sanctuary of a church, the altar is the table the offerings go on. Not the whole sanctuary. When one stands before the altar to get married, the altar is still the table. In Shinto, the table that fits the role of the altar is typically going to be the small table, bench, or tray which is placed before the Ofuda located on the Kamidana. The Ofuda may also be called shinsatsu (神札), go-shinsatsu (御神札) or shinpu (神符). The Kamidana may also have a Taima, also read as Ōnusa (大麻) which is a purification wand, and/or a Shintai may be present. (A Shinti is a sacred object in which the Kami is said to permanently reside and not likely to be found in/on a Kamidana despite what some of the websites online are saying. No, this is the sort of sacred object one might find at a Shrine. A good deal of the difficulty of researching Shinto is figuring out which sites actually know what they are talking about. Also, forgive me if I get something wrong. And yes I know, saying the Kamidana is not the altar does seem a bit like splitting hairs. But then again, it is equally valid to set an offering table in front of the Kamidana.)
Offering tables at the Portland Japanese Garden for an opening ceremony for the new addition.
Offering tables and trays are usually small, unstained, and reasonably distinctive in style without being ostentatious. The biggest difference between West and East is that the Shinto altar tables are lightweight and easy to move about. Yes, there are stone altars in Shinto but the stone altars never came inside so far as I know. As for the Kamidana, the altar portion is actually the tray or in some cases, a small table placed before the Kamidana that is the actual altar. Granted that in many homes the distinction blurs quite a bit where the Kamidana is both sanctuary and altar and brings us right back to where I started, save in perhaps we either have a better understand or are even more confused. Let us just say that the altar is a component, but not the whole. The Kamidana is the resting place for the Kami who are invited into the home and not strictly speaking an altar. In my own home, the place I present my daily offerings is actually one shelf down due to space constraints. As a result, the place I put my offerings ended up looking a great deal like a Reisha (Shinto Family altar). Something I hope to be able to correct someday.
This brings me to the second form of “altar” that can be found in the home.
The Family Altar.
The most common family altar is the Buddhist altar or Butsudan. They come in many shapes and sizes, typically look like a cupboard when closed up, may or may not be placed in the same location as a Kamidana, and typically located lower down than a Kamidana. Keep in mind that a Kamidana is supposed to be placed high up but not so high as to be horribly inconvenient. The Butsudan is divided into two primary parts. The upper portion is where the Buddha figures are located, and the lower portion is dedicated to family.
For those who practice Shinto but are not Buddhist, there is the Reisha. A Reisha is a memorial alter that is placed below the Kamidana. It should still be placed fairly high up. They may also be referred to as Soreisha, Mitamaya, Tamaya, Tamadana, Tamatoko and Shintodan. They function in much the same way as the lower half of the Butsudan. https://www.japanese-wiki-corpus.org/Shinto/Soreisha%20(ancestral%20altar).html
In my online search for what is and/or isn’t a Shinto altar I also found Tokonoma listed as an altar. A Tokonoma is an alcove whose floor is a raised platform about an inch or two above the regular floor height. They are typically located in a tatami room of a traditional home and in Tea rooms. I’m not entirely sure why the Tokonoma was counted as an altar other than being influenced by zen temples. In many ways, it’s as much an altar as a fancy hearth for a fireplace is an altar. The Tokonoma exists as a status symbol. Perhaps now more than ever. Its function is for displaying art, floral/ikebana arrangements, and bonsai. In short, it’s an open closet in which nothing is stored, its sole use is for displays, and in today’s small apartments that’s a luxury few can now afford. One remaining aspect of a Tokonoma that may mark it as an altar is that it's an ideal place to put a large Butsudan.
In parting, I hope this has been educational and thought-provoking. And as always, be wary of web pages that seem a little off and likely just want to sell you something.
Some reminders for my fellow non-Japanese people getting into Shinto:
Because if you don't want to listen to actual Japanese people or Nikkeijin, maybe you'll listen to someone like you.
"Open religion" does not mean "religion you can do whatever you want with." Being invited into someone's house doesn't mean you can start changing the wallpaper and ripping up the carpet and rearranging the furniture, and being invited into someone's religion doesn't mean you can start changing things for your own convenience.
Shinto is the religion of the Japanese people. It is a faith and belief system that is entrenched in Japanese culture and ideals and that must be understood and respected to follow it.
Shinto is from a living culture. If you do not respect Japanese culture and actual Japanese people, then your understanding of Shinto and your approach to it will always be shallow and meaningless.
Do not combine Shinto with any other belief system. Kami should be housed within Shinto traditions with no other religion's deities with Them; keep your Kemetic or Hellenic or Germanic gods out of your kamidana and keep kami out of your pagan rituals and ceremonies.
稲荷大神/Inari-Okami is more of a title than a specific kami, and pretty much everyone has a different answer when you ask them who Inari-Okami is. No specific person is more right than another.
Speak to and about the kami with respect and use their proper titles. User shinbutsu-shugo (untagged bc I don't want to annoy complete strangers lmao) has a list of proper honorifics to use and which kami to use them for.
Animal remains do not belong in Shinto shrine spaces. I promise you, Inari-Okami does not want fox skulls or pelts as offerings.
御札/Ofuda are blessed items that can only be purchased from a shrine. If you buy an Ofuda from somewhere else, it's not Ofuda. It's just a slip of paper with some kanji on it. If you can't get an Ofuda from a shrine for whatever reason, you can make a 依代/yorishiro instead.
Western witchcraft is inherently contradictory to Shinto. You can be a witch. You can follow Shinto. You cannot be a Shinto witch.
陰陽道/Onmyōdō is not witchcraft, it's a form of mysticism that uses scientific practices from multiple Eastern religions as a form of divination. 陰陽師/Onmyōji would really not appreciate you calling their practices witchcraft.
No kami is an aspect of the God or Goddess, or part of any other deity from any pagan religion.
Spirits, 妖怪/youkai, and "lesser" kami are not something to control or own. Give Them the respect they deserve or leave them alone. This especially goes for 狐/kitsune too because they're what gets a lot of people interested in Shinto.
Research proper etiquette before visiting a shrine. Please.
Stop getting all your info from white Westerners and start looking at what actual Japanese people and Nikkeijin have to say. Everything in this post is just repeated from Japanese sources but if you took it all at face value instead of checking it with Japanese resources, that's a problem.
