INTRODUCTION

Part of human life is made of religion which is believed to link human beings and the divine. There are different types of beliefs in which human beings have tried to study through comparative religion. This comparative religion has tried to present and analyze all religions, and one can come up with the best faith that fulfill his/her needs. This also helps understand different cultures as people have different practices they perform in these religions. Some of the religion include Shintoism, Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism. I shall focus on the Shintoism for now:

Shintoism is a religion found in Japan that was followed by different practices. These practices were first recorded in records called Kojiki written in 712. Nihongi is another document that was also filed in 720 which also contains the Shinto practices and is more detailed than the Kojiki. Shintoism is today practiced in public shrines, and it involves the worship of many spirits ‘KAMI’. This spirits are the energy generating the phenomena and manifest itself in many ways as rocks, trees, rivers, animals, or even people as the spirits can also possess them.

The Kami are housed in the shrines, and this is considered a sacred space, separating it from the ordinary world. Japanese architectural styles of different periods characterize shrines. There are many symbols found in the churches and not in the normal world like statutes for protecting gates, fences and ropes.

SCRIPTURES OF SHINTOISM.

Kojiki is one of the sources used in Shintoism, and this was after writing was introduced. Kojiki is usually used in ceremonies, customs, divination, and magical practices. It also has myths, songs, legends and semi-historical stories of the origin of Japan. Kojiki is also political. Shintoism also uses Nihon shoki, the second oldest book after Kojiki. It is more detailed then Kojiki. Nihon Shoki starts with the Japanese creation myth explaining the origin of the world and the first seven generations of divine beings. It is also political, naming the rulers and their eras.

THE SHINTO GODS.

Amaterasu-the sun goddess

She belongs to the first class viz. she is the most prominent member of the Shinto pantheon and described as the ruler of heaven. A court surrounds her. Being a goddess, women in Japan have held a prominent place and an independent position.

Tsuki-Yami

The moon deity and is masculine. He occupies a less prominent place in Japan.

Earth worship

Worship of the direct earth is common in Japan. When a new building is brought up, or a farm is prepared and planted, it is followed by a ceremony called ‘ji-matsuri’ or earth worship.

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