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64-412: While Daijō-kan handled secular administrative affairs of the country, Jingi-kan oversaw almost all matters related to Shintō, particularly of kami worship. In other words, the general function of jingi-kan includes to oversee kami -related affairs at court, provincial shrines, performance rites for the celestial and terrestrial deities ( 天神地祇 , tenjin chigi ) , as well as coordinating

128-413: A Shinto shrine follow a purification ritual before presenting themselves to the kami . This ritual begins with hand washing and swallowing and later spitting a small amount of water in front of the shrine to purify the body, heart, and mind. Once this is complete they turn their focus to gaining the kami's attention. The traditional method of doing this is to bow twice, clap twice and bow again, alerting

192-416: A principle , and anything that is worshipped. Although deity is the common interpretation of kami , some Shinto scholars argue that such a translation can cause a misunderstanding of the term. Some etymological suggestions are: Because Japanese does not normally distinguish grammatical number in nouns (most do not have singular and plural forms), it is sometimes unclear whether kami refers to

256-517: A complementary existence that mirrors our own: shinkai ( 神界 , "the world of the kami") . To be in harmony with the awe-inspiring aspects of nature is to be conscious of kannagara no michi ( 随神の道 or 惟神の道 , "the way of the kami") . Kami is the Japanese word for a deity, divinity, or spirit. It has been used to describe mind , God, Supreme Being, one of the Shinto deities, an effigy ,

320-443: A distinctive quality or virtue. These kami are celebrated regionally, and several miniature shrines ( hokora ) have been built in their honor. In many cases, people who once lived are thus revered; an example of this is Tenjin , who was Sugawara no Michizane (845–903 CE) in life. Within Shinto it is believed that the nature of life is sacred because the kami began human life. Yet people cannot perceive this divine nature, which

384-498: A divine superior spirit within: the kami . Amatsukami and Kunitsukami are categories of kami in Japanese mythology . Amatsugami is a generic term for the gods in Takamagahara or those who descended from Tenson kōrin , while Kunitsugami is a generic term for the gods who appeared on the earth ( Ashihara no Nakatsukuni ). In Japanese mythology, the acceptance of the transfer of the land ( Ashihara no Nakatsukuni ) by

448-586: A provisional step to achieve saisei itchi . In 1870, the Meiji administration attempted to create a new national religion under the term "Great Teaching" ( 大教 , taikyō ) , primarily to keep Christianity from accumulating popularity and influence on the Japanese society and to re-educate the population about the significance of the imperial rule. The attempt lasted from 1870 to 1884. Consequentially, in addition to overseeing Shintō affairs, jingi-kan also had

512-517: A single or multiple entities. When a singular concept is needed, -kami ( 神 ) is used as a suffix . The reduplicated term generally used to refer to multiple kami is kamigami . While Shinto has no founder, no overarching doctrine, and no religious texts, the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters), written in 712 CE, and the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan), written in 720 CE, contain

576-457: A system justifying Japanese Imperialism where Japanese people in the colonies were seen as Amatsukami and natives were seen as Kunitsukami , however he was later censored as his position was considered too supportive of the rights of colonized peoples. One of the first recorded rituals we know of is Niiname-sai ( 新嘗祭 ) , the ceremony in which the Emperor offers newly harvested rice to

640-474: Is a rite of passage for five-year-old boys and three- or seven-year-old girls. It is a time for these young children to personally offer thanks for the kami's protection and to pray for continued health. Many other rites of passage are practiced by Shinto believers, and there are also many other festivals. The main reason for these ceremonies is so that Shinto followers can appease the kami in order to reach magokoro . Magokoro can only be received through

704-426: Is potentially observed and passed onto future generations. The second affirmation is to have a love of nature. Nature objects are worshipped as sacred because the kami inhabit them. Therefore, to be in contact with nature means to be in contact with the gods. The third affirmation is to maintain physical cleanliness. Followers of Shinto take baths, wash their hands, and rinse out their mouths often. The last affirmation

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768-483: Is the mythological figure Amaterasu -ōmikami, the sun goddess of the Shinto pantheon. Although these kami can be considered deities, they are not necessarily considered omnipotent or omniscient , and like the Greek Gods , they had flawed personalities and were quite capable of ignoble acts. In the myths of Amaterasu, for example, she could see the events of the human world, but had to use divination rituals to see

832-497: Is to practice matsuri , which is the worship and honor given to the kami and ancestral spirits. Shinto followers also believe that the kami are the ones who can either grant blessings or curses to a person. Shinto believers desire to appease the evil kami to "stay on their good side", and also to please the good kami . In addition to practicing the four affirmations daily, Shinto believers also wear omamori to aid them in remaining pure and protected. Mamori are charms that keep

896-587: The Engi-shiki ( 延喜式 , literally, Procedures of the Engi Era ) was promulgated in fifty volumes. This, the first formal codification of Shinto rites and norito (liturgies and prayers) to survive, became the basis for all subsequent Shinto liturgical practice and efforts. It listed all of the 2,861 Shinto shrines existing at the time, and the 3,131 official-recognized and enshrined kami . The number of kami has grown and far exceeded this figure through

960-605: The Ministry of Divinities was reorganized into the Ministry of Religion. The Ministry of Popular Affairs , and established by merging the Ministry of Popular Affairs Shakaiji Kake. Following the failure of the national teaching based on Shinto and Confucianism by the Missionary Office established within the Shinto priesthood, the largest religious force of the time, Buddhism , especially Jōdo Shinshū , which

1024-891: The Shinbutsu bunri , supported the Meiji Restoration , especially the Defeat the Shogunate Movement  [ ja ] However, the Ikkō-shū led to a growing opposition to the government from within the Jōdo Shinshu sect, and the Ministry's measures ran into a deadlock. When the Ministry's measures ran into a deadlock, the Jodo Shinshu movement withdrew from the organization from the standpoint of separation of church and state. The Great Teaching Institute , which

1088-476: The deities , divinities , spirits, mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, beings and the qualities that these beings express, and/or the spirits of venerated dead people. Many kami are considered the ancient ancestors of entire clans (some ancestors became kami upon their death if they were able to embody

1152-483: The kami themselves, is forever changing in definition and scope. As the needs of the people have shifted, so too have the domains and roles of the various kami . Some examples of this are related to health, such as the kami of smallpox whose role was expanded to include all contagious diseases, or the kami of boils and growths who has also come to preside over cancers and cancer treatments . In ancient animistic Japanese belief, kami were understood as simply

1216-541: The kami to secure their blessing for a bountiful harvest. A yearly festival, Niiname-sai, is also performed when a new Emperor comes to power , in which case it is called Daijō-sai ( 大嘗祭 ) . In the ceremony, the Emperor offers crops from the new harvest to the kami , including rice, fish, fruits, soup, and stew. The Emperor first feasts with the deities, then the guests. The feast could go on for some time; for example, Emperor Shōwa 's feast spanned two days. Visitors to

1280-456: The kami to their presence and desire to commune with them. During the last bow, the supplicant offers words of gratitude and praise to the kami ; if they are offering a prayer for aid they will also state their name and address. After the prayer and/or worship they repeat the two bows, two claps and a final bow in conclusion. Shinto practitioners also worship at home. This is done at a kamidana (household shrine), on which an ofuda with

1344-517: The kami . Ceremonies and festivals are long and complex because they need to be perfect to satisfy the kami . If the kami are not pleased with these ceremonies, they will not grant a Shinto believer magokoro . Ministry of Religion (Japan) The Ministry of Religion ( 教部省 , Kyōbushō ) was a central government organization of the Empire of Japan established under the Daijō-kan system in

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1408-515: The sun , mountains , rivers , trees , and rocks ; some animals ; and ancestral spirits . Included within the designation of ancestral spirits are spirits of the ancestors of the Imperial House of Japan , but also ancestors of noble families as well as the spirits of the ancestors of all people, which when they died were believed to be the guardians of their descendants. There are other spirits designated as kami as well. For example,

1472-402: The "wilderness". Social and political strife have played a key role in the development of new sorts of kami , specifically the goryō-shin (the sacred spirit kami ). Goryō are the vengeful spirits of the dead whose lives were cut short, but they were calmed by the devotion of Shinto followers and are now believed to punish those who do not honor the kami . The pantheon of kami , like

1536-649: The 10th century to the 15th, the Shirakawa-hakuō family held this position continuously. In feudal Japan , the Jingi-kan became the final surviving building of the Heian Palace . During the Jōkyū War in 1221, most of the palace was evacuated and fell into disrepair; the Jingi-kan alone remained in operation. A 1624 memoir by a Jingi-haku reports that the Jingi-kan was still being used as late as 1585 and

1600-532: The Chinese character kan ( 官 ) , "council" or "department," and jingi ( 神祇 ) , which is an abbreviated form of tenjin chigi ( 天神地祇 ) , "celestial and terrestrial deities." The term tenjin ( 天神 ) , also known as amatsukami which translates to "celestial deities" or "heavenly gods" encompasses all kami gods in Shinto that resides in Takamagahara or "High Plains of Heaven," from whom

1664-704: The Chronicles, and many of them have not survived. The Chronicles of Japan cites certain passages (e.g., "Ichi Sho Saying" and "Aru Hon Yun" in most volumes of the Nihon Shoki), but the original recorded documents have been lost in later generations. Tsu is a case particle in Old Japanese , meaning "god of heaven" or "god of the country" in modern Japanese. Sometimes written "Amatsugami" or "Kunitsugami. Amatsugami are also called Tenjin, and Kunitsukami are called Chigi ( 地祇 ) . Some people believe that

1728-417: The Japanese imperial line supposedly descended. The term chigi ( 地祇 ) , also known as kunitsukami , translates to "terrestrial deities" or "earthly gods" and encompasses all kami gods in Shinto that resides in or have appeared on the earth. Colloquially, the term jingi can also be used to refer to the rituals performed to the heavenly and earthly gods. Therefore, there are several ways to translate

1792-695: The Kunitsugami to the Amatsu deities led by Ninigi is described as Kuni Yuzuri . It is thought that the deity worshipped by the people of the region ( Emishi , Hayato , etc.) who were pacified by the Yamato Kingship became the Kunitsugami, and the deity worshipped by the imperial family and powerful clans of the Yamato Kingship became the Amatsukami. Many of the original traditions of the Kunitsugami were altered when they were incorporated into

1856-672: The Ministry of Education was kyosei , and in order to further promote the teaching of the people, the Great Teaching Institute was established to oversee the entire nation, the Chukyoin ( 中教院 ) to oversee each prefectural unit, and the Shukyoin ( 小教院 ) were established throughout the country. However, the Great Teaching Institute did not achieve much due to serious conflicts of opinion between

1920-607: The Shintoists, who were then up-and-coming, and the Jodo Shinshu , who had maintained their old power. The Ministry of Religion was created in response to the failure of the missionary policies of the Divine Council and the missionary messengers, but ultimately resulted in its abolition. One of the reasons for this was the confusion in the religious administration at the time. The government initially intended to use

1984-553: The affairs of humans. The ancient animistic spirituality of Japan was the beginning of modern Shinto, which became a formal spiritual institution later, in an effort to preserve the traditional beliefs from the encroachment of imported religious ideas. As a result, the nature of what can be called kami is very general and encompasses many different concepts and phenomena. Some of the objects or phenomena designated as kami are qualities of growth, fertility, and production; natural phenomena like wind and thunder ; natural objects like

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2048-573: The arts of maintaining the connection between the kami and the people. In addition to these festivals, ceremonies marking rites of passage are also performed within the shrines. Two such ceremonies are the birth of a child and the Shichi-Go-San. When a child is born they are brought to a shrine so that they can be initiated as a new believer and the kami can bless them and their future life. The Shichi-Go-San (the Seven-Five-Three)

2112-538: The authority and grounding of traditional religions to defend Christianity and to teach the people about the new system after the Restoration, but in order to establish a modern state , the Separation of church and state and freedom of religion as basic policies of the state were inevitable, and the lifting of the ban on Christianity became essential for diplomatic relations with Western countries. In addition,

2176-408: The divine forces of nature. Worshippers in ancient Japan revered kami of nature which exhibited a particular beauty and power such as ghosts , the ocean, the sun, waterfalls , mountains, boulders, animals, trees, grasses, rice paddies, thunder , echoes , foxes and fox spirits , and Asian dragons . They strongly believed the spirits or resident kami deserved respect. In 927 CE,

2240-446: The earliest record of Japanese creation myths. The Kojiki also includes descriptions of various kami . In the ancient traditions there were five defining characteristics of kami : Kami are an ever-changing concept, but their presence in Japanese life has remained constant. The kami's earliest roles were as earth-based spirits, assisting the early hunter-gatherer groups in their daily lives. They were worshipped as gods of

2304-670: The early Meiji period for the purpose of national indoctrination through religion control to replace the Department of Divinities . It sought to advance the Proclamation of the Great Doctrine and mobilize the people with both Shinto and Buddhism . It was abolished in response to arguments for separation of church and state and the Bureau of Shrines and Temples taking over much of its functions. On April 21, 1872,

2368-464: The earth (mountains) and sea. As the cultivation of rice became increasingly important and predominant in Japan, the kami's identity shifted to more sustaining roles that were directly involved in the growth of crops; roles such as rain, earth, and rice. This relationship between early Japanese people and the kami was manifested in rituals and ceremonies meant to entreat the kami to grow and protect

2432-420: The evil kami from striking a human with sickness or causing disaster to befall them. The kami are both worshipped and respected within the religion of Shinto. The goal of life to Shinto believers is to obtain magokoro , a pure sincere heart, which can only be granted by the kami . As a result, Shinto followers are taught that humankind should venerate both the living and the nonliving, because both possess

2496-452: The evolution of the ritsuryō system and Shinto, such as when the establishment of jingi-kan was burned down during Ōnin War (1467-1477). Then, during the Meiji period, jingi-kan was briefly reinstated in 1868 and then dissolved in 1871, succeeded by Ministry of Divinities ( 神祇省 , jingi-shō ) and Ministry of Religion (教部省, kyōbushō ). The term jingi-kan is composed of

2560-480: The following generations as there are over 2,446,000 individual kami enshrined in Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine alone. Kami are the central objects of worship for the Shinto belief. The best English translation of kami is 'spirits', but this is an over-simplification of a complex concept - kami can be elements of the landscape or forces of nature. Kami are believed to have influence over the forces of nature and over

2624-406: The future. There are considered to be three main variations of kami : Amatsukami ( 天津神 , the heavenly deities) , Kunitsukami ( 国津神 , the gods of the earthly realm) , and ya-o-yorozu no kami ( 八百万の神 , countless kami) . (" 八百万 " literally means eight million, but idiomatically it expresses "uncountably many" and "all-around"—like many East Asian cultures, the Japanese often use

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2688-418: The gods of heaven and earth" and conveys a sense of reverence and commitment. The origins of the term can be traced back to ancient Chinese classical texts, where the expression " 天地 " (Tenchi) and " 神明 " (Shinmei) were often used together to refer to the gods of heaven and earth, or to the gods and the universe as a whole. However, there are also instances where the expression was used to refer specifically to

2752-407: The gods of heaven and earth. In Japan, the term 天地神明 has been in use for centuries and is often associated with the image of the numerous gods and deities that have been worshipped in Japanese folklore and mythology. Susanoo-no-Mikoto , who was cast out of Takamagahara, and his descendants, such as Ōkuninushi , are considered to be Kunitsugami. Ogasawara Shozo  [ ja ] proposed

2816-452: The government was skeptical of the existence of the Ministry of Religion, believing that the objectives of missionary policy could be achieved through the establishment of The Modern School System , and the above confusion caused the existing religious forces to move left and right. The above confusion caused the existing religious forces to move to the right and left. In the midst of such confusion, Buddhist forces, which had been outnumbered by

2880-520: The guardian spirits of the land, occupations, and skills; spirits of Japanese heroes, men of outstanding deeds or virtues, and those who have contributed to civilization, culture, and human welfare; those who have died for the state or the community; and the pitiable dead. Not only spirits superior to man can be considered kami ; spirits that are considered pitiable or weak have also been considered kami in Shinto. The concept of kami has been changed and refined since ancient times, although anything that

2944-543: The harvest. These rituals also became a symbol of power and strength for the early Emperors. There is a strong tradition of myth-histories in the Shinto faith; one such myth details the appearance of the first emperor, grandson of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu . In this myth, when Amaterasu sent her grandson to earth to rule, she gave him five rice grains, which had been grown in the fields of heaven ( Takamagahara ). This rice made it possible for him to transform

3008-497: The kami created, on their own; therefore, magokoro ( 真心 ) , or purification, is necessary in order to see the divine nature. This purification can only be granted by the kami . In order to please the kami and earn magokoro , Shinto followers are taught to uphold the four affirmations of Shinto. The first affirmation is to hold fast to tradition and the family. Family is seen as the main mechanism by which traditions are preserved. For instance, in marriage or birth, tradition

3072-481: The main hall of Zojoji Temple was taken over as the Great Teaching Institute and used as the worship hall of the Great Teaching Institute's Temple. Furthermore, the temple's rituals required the participation and worship of priests, which angered some of the Buddhist authorities (some priests, on the other hand, enthusiastically expressed their blessing by displaying banners and other symbols). Later, on January 1, 1874,

3136-408: The name of their protector or ancestral kami is positioned. Their protector kami is determined by their or their ancestors' relationship to the kami . Ascetic practices, shrine rituals and ceremonies, and Japanese festivals are the most public ways that Shinto devotees celebrate and offer adoration for the kami . Kami are celebrated during their distinct festivals that usually take place at

3200-476: The names "Tenjin Chigi ( 天神地祇 ) " and "Jingi ( 神祇 ) " are derived from the Chinese classics. The different theory that the concept is completely different and different from the Japanese one has been presented. Another similar concept is Tenchi Shinmei ( 天地神明 ) . 天地神明 (Tenchi-Shinmei) is a Japanese four-character idiom that refers to the gods of heaven and earth. It is used in expressions such as "I swear by

3264-426: The number 8, representing the cardinal and ordinal directions, to symbolize ubiquity.) These classifications of kami are not considered strictly divided, due to the fluid and shifting nature of kami , but are instead held as guidelines for grouping them. The ancestors of a particular family can also be worshipped as kami . In this sense, these kami are worshipped not because of their godly powers, but because of

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3328-525: The priests to learn them. The priesthood was traditionally hereditary. Some shrines have drawn their priests from the same families for over a hundred generations. It is not uncommon for the clergy to be female priestesses. The priests ( kannushi ) may be assisted by miko , young unmarried women acting as shrine maidens. Neither priests nor priestesses live as ascetics; in fact, it is common for them to be married, and they are not traditionally expected to meditate. Rather, they are considered specialists in

3392-399: The provinces' ritual practices with those in the capital based on a code called jingi-ryō ( 神祇令 ) , which roughly translates to "Code of Celestial and Terrestrial Deities" or "Code of Heavenly and Earthly Gods". While the department existed for almost a century, there are periods of time in Japanese ancient and medieval history where jingi-kan was effectively inexistent, parallel to

3456-493: The public. In addition to that, jingi-shō also lacked staffs to oversee their two major functions, Shintō affairs and propaganda. Because of these two reasons, jingi-shō was abandoned and dissolved, and the Meiji administration established Ministry of Religion (教部省, kyōbushō ), also known as Ministry of Doctrine. This Japanese history–related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Kami Kami ( Japanese : 神 , [kaꜜmi] ) are

3520-515: The role to oversee propaganda. Then, jingi-kan was demoted to jingi-shō ( 神祇省 ) , Ministry of Divinities, that lasted from 1871 to 1872, as part of the saisei itchi campaign, bringing jingi-kan to an end. The goals of the Great Teaching campaign was deemed too ambiguous or too general to be able to be formed into practice, making it difficult for jingi-shō to provide a theoretical and spiritual content to be spread among

3584-517: The shrines dedicated to their worship. Many festivals involve believers, who are usually intoxicated, parading, sometimes running, toward the shrine while carrying mikoshi (portable shrines) as the community gathers for the festival ceremony. Yamamoto Guji, the high priest at the Tsubaki Grand Shrine , explains that this practice honors the kami because "it is in the festival, the matsuri, the greatest celebration of life can be seen in

3648-835: The term jingi -kan in English: This Shinto administrative hierarchy was an intentional mirror of its Chinese counterpart, the Ministry of Rites (禮部). The Jingi-kan was charged with oversight of Shinto clergy and rituals for the whole country. The Jingikan was staffed by four levels of managers, as seen below: 正六位上 - 神祇少副 Junior vice-director ( shōfuku ), senior sixth rank upper grade 従六位下 - 神祇少祐 Junior assistant, junior sixth rank lower grade 従八位上 - 神祇少史 Junior secretary, junior eight rank upper grade In its early days, jingi-kan has four main functions: Jingi-kan must carry out thirteen rites written in jingiryō . The rites are laid out in articles 2 through 9, as well as article 18. Those rituals are: From

3712-486: The values and virtues of kami in life). Traditionally, great leaders like the Emperor could be or became kami . In Shinto, kami are not separate from nature, but are of nature, possessing positive and negative, and good and evil characteristics. They are manifestations of musubi ( 結び ) , the interconnecting energy of the universe, and are considered exemplary of what humanity should strive towards. Kami are believed to be "hidden" from this world, and inhabit

3776-540: The world of Shinto and it is the people of the community who attend festivals as groups, as a whole village who are seeking to unlock the human potential as children of kami". During the New Year Festival, families purify and clean their houses in preparation for the upcoming year. Offerings are also made to the ancestors so that they will bless the family in the future year. Shinto ceremonies are so long and complex that in some shrines it can take ten years for

3840-564: Was considered to be kami by ancient people will still be considered kami in modern Shinto . Even within modern Shinto, there are no clearly defined criteria for what should or should not be worshipped as kami. The difference between modern Shinto and the ancient animistic religions is mainly a refinement of the kami -concept, rather than a difference in definitions. Although the ancient designations are still adhered to, in modern Shinto many priests also consider kami to be anthropomorphic spirits, with nobility and authority. One such example

3904-469: Was demolished during renovations. In 1626, a temporary building was constructed to perform additional ceremonies. On the thirteenth day of the third month of 1868, Emperor Meiji announced that the new Meiji government would restore direct imperial rule (王政復古, ōsei fukko ) and unity of rites and government (祭政一致, saisei itchi ). The department was reinstated in 1868 at the beginning of the Meiji period as

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3968-523: Was the largest religious force at the time. While implementing modern religious policies such as the lifting of the prohibition of Christianity and the lifting of Nyonin Kinsei in shrines and temples, the Department of Divinities was unable to achieve the national indoctrination that was required by the Interlocutors. In order to realize national indoctrination, which the Department of Divinities

4032-517: Was the national governing body for the Ministry of Religion, was established within Zojoji Temple in Shiba, Tokyo . The establishment of the Great Teaching Institute was a Buddhist initiative, and Zojoji's donation of facilities was voluntary, but when Shinto forces began to take control, the temple refused to accept the donation. However, the dedication of Zojoji Temple went ahead as planned, and

4096-440: Was unable to achieve, a system of Kyodo Shoku was established, and the Great Teaching Institute was used for national indoctrination and Proclamation of the Great Doctrine campaign. The Ministry of Religion was a voluntary sector appointment system. Religious figures—such as shinkans , Kannushis , Bhikkhus , Rakugoka  [ ja ] , Waka poets, haiku poets —were also appointed as instructors. The highest rank in

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