(For G11)

Schools Division of Paranaque City

INTRODUCTION TO WORLS RELIGIONS AND BELIEF
SYSTEM

QUARTER 1

Week Fourteen
SHINTOISM

Learning Competencies (MELC)

Analyze the brief history, core teachings, fundamental beliefs, practices, and
related issues of Shintoism

Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the learners should be able to
1. Trace the origins of Shintoism and identify its sacred texts
2. Explain the basic doctrines and practices of Shintoism
3. Distinguish the different denominations of Shintoism and discuss some of its challenge

Let’s Recall
Word Bank
DIRECTIONS: Choose the letter of the word from the WORD BANK that is best described by
each item. Write your answer on your answer sheet.

A. CH’U LAOZI C. DAOISM E. ZHOU

B. DAO CH’U D. LAOZI F. TE

_____1. A philosophy which emphasizes humanity’s relationship with nature

_____2. The origin of all beings whose essence is nothing
_____3. A period known for the constant struggle for power, wealth, and prestige
_____4. Place where Daoism began
_____5. Old Master
 Let’s Understand (Study the Concept)

Shinto (or Shintoism) is a religion indigenous y/ to Japan. The term “Shinto” was derived
from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese term shen \ dao, which means “the way of the
gods,” and which in Japanese is pronounced as “shin-to.”The term shen dao or shin-to, as the
name of a particular religion, came about out of the need to distinguish it from foreign religions
that have established themselves in Japan, referring to the religions brought to Japan by the
Koreans and Chinese in the sixth century, namely, Buddhism and Confucianism

General Information
A. Founder Shinto does not have a founder, nor does it have sacred scriptures
like the sutras or the Bible. Propaganda and preaching are not
common either, because Shinto is deeply rooted in the Japanese
people and traditions.

"Shinto gods" are called kami. They are sacred spirits which take
the form of things and concepts important to life, such as wind, rain,
mountains, trees, rivers and fertility. Humans become kami after
they die and are revered by their families as ancestral kami. The
kami of extraordinary people are even enshrined at some shrines.
The Sun Goddess Amaterasu is considered Shinto's most
important kami.

B. Sacred Scriptures The Kojiki and Nihongi are considered as sacred scriptures on
Shinto, although they are not exclusively about Shinto; they also
contain extensive information on Buddhism and Confucianism.
These books, which are compilations of ancient myths and
traditional teachings, are considered to have a dual purpose: a
political as well as a moral purpose
Kojiki
As one of the most important texts on Shintoism, Kojiki is
composed of three books:
the first is the age of kami, which narrates the mythology, while
the second and third books discuss the imperial lineage narrating
the events concerning the imperial family up to the death of the
thirty-third ruler, Empress Suiko. The third book is concerned
mainly with revolts and love stories of successive rulers
intertwined in a song-story format. It just goes to show that Kojiki is
based on the eternal and cyclical world of mythology
Nihon shoki/Nihongi
It represents a combination of a political purpose with folklores
and myths.
It is composed of 30 books, the first two of which discuss the “age
of the kami” while the remaining books chronicle the events
pertaining to the rulers up to the 41st emperor
The stories in the Kojiki and Nihongi provide the Japanese people
with a sense of pride, for these scriptures narrate how their rulers
 were descended from the gods, and how their race was descended
from the gods as well

C. Worships and Shinto Rites of Passage

Observance Below are the rites of passage observed by the Shintoists from birth
to death:
1. Hatsumiyamairi (First Shrine Visit). Newborn children are taken
to the shrine to seek protection from the kami; traditionally, the
newborn is taken by the grandmother because the mother is
deemed impure from childbirth; the ritual takes place on the
second day after birth for a boy, and third day for a girl;
2. Shichi-go-san (Seven-Five-Three). Festival observed every 15th
of November by boys of five years and girls of three and seven
years of age, who visit the shrine to give thanks for the protection
provided by the kami and to ask for their healthy growth.
3. Adult’s Day (Seijin Shiki). Observed every 15th of January by
the Japanese who had their 20th birthday the previous year by
visiting the shrine to express gratitude to the kami (20 being the
legal age of adulthood in Japan)
4. Wedding Rites. Patterned after the wedding of Crown Prince
Yoshihito and Princess Sado in 1900.
5. Funeral rites. Since death is considered impure, most Japanese
funerals are Buddhist in nature; Shintoism’s funeral practices are
called sosai.

Ritual Purification (Meditative Practices)

The Japanese observe the misogi, or ablutions (the act of
washing one’s body part or part of it, usually for religious
purposes) which are considered as very ancient ceremonies
performed after funeral ceremonies, when all members of the
family go into the water together to cleanse themselves in a
purification bath. Today, this can be done privately with water and
salt, or with water alone. Its purpose is to cleanse the body of minor
contaminations associated with the dead.
-Another form of purification rites is the harai or exorcism (the
expulsion of an evil spirit from a person or place), performed
usually by a priest by swinging a purification wand over the people
and the objects to be exorcised.
-Another is the imi or abstentions (the act of restraining oneself
from indulging in something), which are practices performed
against impurity. After the purification rites, they are now ready to
participate in the rites of offering and dedication, wherein they offer
rice, rice wine, and other foods to the deities, followed by a
presentation of music and dance. Then the most important part of
the rituals comes, which is prayer to the deities of the shrines.
Prayers can be in the form of praise of the kami, request for
protection, and appeal for blessings in their lives (Brown 1994).

D Beliefs & Kami Worship

Doctrines The kami, as noted, generally refer to sacred, spiritual beings,
which are also thought of as gods and goddesses. The word
“kami” is used in both singular and plural; we can thus say “this
particular kami” or “this group of kami.” It literally means “high,”
“above” and “lifted up” (Urubshurow 2009, 502), but it is often
translated as “god” or “gods.” Furthermore, while the word is
naturally understood as referring to the entities with divine
character, the deities, it is also used to refer to the divine character
itself, the essence of all divine beings (Picken 1994, xxii; Williams
2004, 32).
-Kami are often confused with the Western concept of a supreme
being, but this is because explaining the concept of kami is not an
easy task and associating them with divine beings makes the
concept of kami easier to understand.
-Shintoism has a concept of yao yoruzu no kami, or eight
hundred myriads of kami. Some of them are tutelary deities of
clans who were later elevated to tutelary deities of their respective
communities while some have no direct connection with the Shinto
faith. Here are some of the most important kami in Japan:
Word Meaning
Kami Divinity, divine, sacred, holy (issues of theism,
polytheism, animism)
Kannagara Holiness and wholeness of nature (issue of
animism and pantheism)
KI Awesome power of kami-ness (issue of what is
reality)
Harai Purity, purification (issue of effective salvation,
attainment, or enlightenment)
Wa Harmony or peacefulness of nature (issue of
personhood and social order)
Tennõ Sacredness concentrated in the person of the ruler
or emperor (issue of divine or sacred rule)

Concept of Pure and Impure

It is very important in Shintoism to maintain physical, external, and
material purity. For example, blood is regarded as impure.
Shintoism strongly disapproved of the pollution of blood. Women
who menstruate are considered impure, as well as women after
childbirth, and must be isolated for a definite period. Even at
present, in some remote areas of Japan, the women are prohibited
from living together with their family and sharing meals with them.
They built houses where women who have their period or who have
recently given birth are expected to live alone and cook their own
food. In these so-called “menstruation houses” (called Taya),
visitations by men were prohibited.

Concept of Death
Death is considered as the worst form of impurity in Shintoism.
When a person dies, his or her body is considered as the most
impure thing. That is why they perform ritual bathing after a funeral
ceremony wherein all family members do a ritual bathing in the
river
 De/Virtue
The way to appease the kami or the spirits, according to Shinto, is
through purification. Proper observance of rituals is necessary in
order to purify oneself and be deserving of the blessings from the
deities. Living in harmony with nature, which is inhabited by the
kami or spirits, is encouraged. In line with this, Shintoists value the
virtues of beauty, truth, goodness, and morality. Sincerity in
everything that we do is also valued, for it implies a pure heart.
E. Subdivision There are three main types of Shintoism:
The Shrine (Jinja) Shinto-is considered as the purified/traditional
type under which the State and Imperial Shinto belong.
The Sect (Kyoha) Shinto-refers to the 13 government-organized
independent sects formed during the 19th century, focusing on
human welfare in this earthly life.
The Folk/Popular (Minzoku) Shinto- is the type of Shintoism
practiced in local shrines and considered to be more ingrained to
the people’s rite of passage.
F. Challenges First, its growth has been threatened by the growth of Buddhism in
Japan and its association with military build-up of Japan during
World War II. Many have thought that Shinto would not survive
after the Second World War; but it did, and it continues to flourish.
Second, part of the appeal of Shinto is the importance it gives to
nature. Shinto, in this regard, is presenting itself as a religion of
ecology. One challenge in this area is how to reconcile the seeming
conflict between this ecological ideal of Shinto and the pervasive
Japanese commercial and business goals that resulted in the
decimation of the forests of Japan and other countries (Williams
2004, 140)
Third, Shinto still generally lacks a strong institutional structure to
enable it to spread outside of Japan or to do missionary work. This
is, however, compensated by the fact that the Japanese bring their
religious practices with them wherever they settle in (see Molloy
2010, 283-284).
Fourth, because of Shinto’s association with the Japanese
government during World War II, how to deal with questions
concerning the divine status of the Japanese emperor remains as a
challenge to Shinto. Williams (2004, 136) articulates such
questions as follows: “First, what does it mean for modern Japan,
no longer culturally or militarily imperial, to have a divine emperor?
 G. Symbol and The Torii Gate is the most common symbol for Shintoism. It is a
Meaning sacred gateway supposed to represent a gate upon which a cock
crew on the occasion when Amaterasu emerged from the rock cave
and relighted the world. It marks the entrance to a sacred space
which is the Shinto shrine. It represents the transition between the
world of humans and the world of the gods and goddesses. It is
believed to help prepare the visitor for their interaction with the
spirits by signifying the sacredness of the location. It is traditionally
made of wood or stone, but now most tori’s are made of concrete
and steel.

Let’s Apply
DIRECTIONS: Write an essay on how Shintoism shows respect on physical world and how this
concepts and belief affect your life in general.
Feature 10 8 6 Points
Content Ideas are clear and Ideas are clear but not Ideas are not clear.
supported with accurate supported with accurate
information. information.
Organization The essay is presented in a The essay is not The essay presented
logical order (Introduction, presented in a logical irrelevant information and not
the body and conclusion). order (Introduction, the in a logical order (Introduction,
body and conclusion). the body and conclusion).
TOTAL

Let’s Analyze
A. Modified True or False. Write the word True if the statement is false. If False, change the
underlined word to make the statement correct. Write your answer on a separate piece of paper
_____1. Temples are built to honor the spirits believed to be found in nature.
_____2. Shinto is the Japanese word for spirits or deities.
_____3. Kami means “way of the spirits.”
_____4. Shrine Shinto is a mixture of traditions, magic, and other practices of the common people.
_____5. Kamikaze refers to the divine wind believed to have driven away the Mongols from
attacking
Japan
_____6. Nihongi refers to the Ancient Records of Ancient Matters.
_____7. Kojiki refers to the Chronicles of Japan.
_____8. The Yamado clan was the ruling family who declared Shinto as the national religion in
the th century C.E.
_____9. The Ise Shrine is considered as a controversial shrine in Japan.
_____10. Zen Buddhism believes that all human beings are Buddha
 Let’s Create
Goal To write a Haiku poem

Role A writer who will participant to Japan Art Expo 2020

Audience Your audience are your classmates and the teacher

Situation Writer who like to give awareness to culture of Shintoism and join
the Japan Art Expo 2020 to share Haiku poems about love of
nature.
Product Performance After your work has been checked by your teacher, it will be
shared to your classroom group chat messenger to expand
knowledge about virtues taught by Shintoism with your
classmates.
Standard Haiku is traditional form of Japanese poetry consist of 3
lines. The first and last lines of a Haiku have 5 syllables and the
middle line has 7 syllables. The lines rarely rhyme. Write your
answer on a separate piece of paper. Your performance as a
writer/poet will be based on the rubrics below. Read it carefully.

Examples:

A bird fly so high The flower unfolds The green leaves are gone
Singing a melodic song To reveal its true nature Missing all the memories
What a peaceful day! Welcoming the bees Autumn please do not come
http://woto.com/examples-of-haiku-about-nature
Best-haiku-poems.blogspots.com By Michael M. haikudeck.com

Let’s Try (Evaluation)

Multiple Choice
Directions: Choose the letter of the best answer and write it on your answer
sheet.
1. What do you call a human in Shintoism after they die?
A. Kami B. Ashes C. Dust D. Reincarnated

2. What does the word kamikaze mean?

A. Love of the emperor B. Die at all costs C. Divine wind D. Love of God
2. Who is the most famous sun goddess in Shintoism?
A. Ra D. Luna B. Apollo C. Amaterasu

4. Which of the following statements about Shintoism is TRUE?

A. Shinto has no founder C. Shinto has no God
B. Shinto has no Canonical scriptures D. All of the above

5. What is the main difference between Shintoism and other Abrahamic religions?
A. Shintoism is older than Abrahamic religions C. It is more like a practice than religion
B. They both have written setup Laws D. Shintoism is a modern religion

6. Why do you think the Japanese consider their emperor as divine?

A. Because the emperor is also the highest piece of Shinto
B. They believe that the emperor is a direct descendant of Amaterasu
C. They think they are superior to all other races because of the emperor
D. All of the above

7. Which of the following are listed in sacred texts of Shintoism?

I. All about ancient God
II. Narrative events concerning Imperial family
III. Based on eternal and cyclical world of mythology
IV. Compilations of ancient myths and traditional teachings
A. II, III & IV B. I, II & III C. I, III & IV D. I, II & IV

8. Which of the following are beliefs and doctrines of Shintoism?

I. Kami worship
II. Concept of pure and Impure
III. Concept of death
IV. Concept of life after death
A. II, III & IV B. I, III & IV C. I, II & IV D. I, II & III

9. Which of the following are main types of Shintoism?

I. The shrine Shinto
II. The sect Shinto
III. The folk or popular Shinto
IV. The spiritual Shinto
A. II, III, & IV B. I, III & IV C. I, II & IV D. I, II & III

10. Which of the following are challenges met by Shintoism?

I. Growth of Buddhism in Japan
II. Concepts of sorcery that promotes superstitions
III. Lack of strong institutional structure the spread outside Japan for missionary work
IV. How to reconcile the conflict between ecological ideal of Shinto and pervasive Japanese
commercial
A. I, II & III B. I, II & IV C. I, III & IV D. II, III & I