Religions of Japan (World Religions)

Shinto

"Way of the Kami"; Japanese worship of nature spirits

ways that people appease the kami:

-having nice landscapes/architecture -feng shui

what do the pilgrims wear on shikoku?

-kakaui -sugegasu -kongozue

kami can be:

-killed -good or evil -share the world with us

what are things you need to be conscious of when entering a shinto shrine?

-wash your hands(left before right) and mouth -bow -walk to the side(because gods walk down the middle)

kamakazi

Japanese pilots during WW2 who committed suicide in service of the emperor

Two Schools of Zen Buddhism

Rinzai and Soto

appeasing the kami

a big component of the shinto religion

Zen(ch'an)

a form of buddhism brought to Japan, used by nobility and emperors

koan

a riddle that is given daily to the rinzai buddhists to ponder on

jinja

a shinto shrine

what happened at the end of the 47 ronin story?

all the ronin kill themselves to avenge their honor after disobeying the emperor( because they killed the lord).

feng shui

arranging furniture in a way that helps to invite good spirits and deflects bad ones

why did the kojiki come out after the imperial line was established?

because the imperial family wanted to validate that they were from/related to the gods

Nihongi

chronicles of japan, about the imperial family, emperors, and samurai

soto

doesn't believe in "sudden awakening", believes that it takes time

torii

entrance to a shinto shrine, separates people from the gods, symbolizes sacred ground and that there are kami nearby

goma

fire ceremony with bells in shingnon buddhism

Shingnon Buddhism

follows Kobo Daishi teachings, popular on Shikoku island, known for rituals with fire, incense, bells, and gongs

"Shen" means

gods/spirts

sugegasu

hat, reps your coffin

Amaterasu's treasures

her sword and mirror

What are examples of kami seen in everyday life?

in pokemon, power rangers, kit kats, etc

rinzai

means satori or "sudden awakening"

nokyocho

pilgrimage book that you stamp and write in along your journey

charm/tasilmen

protects from gods/spirits

what is Zen Buddhism about?

reaching within yourself and finding peace and trying to create harmony

shimenawa

rope with tassels that symbolizes that there is a kami nearby

Kojiki "records of ancient matters"

shinto book that starts with the story of Izanagi and Izanami all the way to the line of emperors

zazen

sitting/meditating with legs crossed used by soto

kongozue/ kobo daishi stick

stick, reps the spirit of kobo daishi and him traveling with you

the red sun on flag

symbolizes Amaterasu

red dot on flag

symbolizes the "rising sun"

omikuji

the fortune/oracle given at shinto shrines, usually a poem that symbolizes how your year will go

In Japannese culture they believe that the emperors are from..

the gods

Emperor Hirohito

the japanese emperor who ruled japan during WW2

Kobo Daishi

the monk that went to China, studied Shingnon and brought it back to Japan

47 ronin

the most popular story, about how the samurai lord was murdered and his ronin wanted to avenge his death.

Kakai

the name for Kobo Daishi as a young scholar

Shikoku

the pilgrimage in Shingnon Buddhism

osetai

the practice of giving pilgrims food, money, or some kind of help along their journey

kami

the spirits or ghosts of things that never existed (ex: having a spirit in a river)

Amaterasu

the sun goddesses, daughter of izanagi and izanami, her grandson becomes the 1st emperor of Japan from Yamato Clan

Imperial Regalia

the treasures given by Amaterasu to her grandson, stayed in the dynasty/emperor possession

izanagi and izanami

the two shinto gods, brother and sister, created japan

"Tao" means

the way

Story of Izanagi and Izanami

they give birth to "fire child" that takes izanami to underworld and izanagi goes to save her. She wants him to stay with her there but he escapes. He cleans himself of underworld by blowing his nose/washing his eye. He creates amaterasu from this.

Meji in Tokyo and Shinto Shrine in Honolulu

two major shinto shrines

spear of destiny

used by izanagi and izanami to create the main islands of japan

the cave of Kobo Daishi

where he spent his 20's alone reflecting, before returning to society

kakaui

white tunic, reps death/ leaving a part of yourself behind

ema

wooden plaque for wish making

henro

word for a pilgrim