Views of Japan

Views of Japan you won't find in guide books!

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25 posts tagged Shintõ

Stuffed toys left at Yasaka shrine in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa prefecture to comfort the “souls” of dead children. The world must be filled by now with the “souls” of all the dead people that Buddhists, Christians, Shintõists, Islamists etc believe are floating about all over the place! 

If “souls” were real, why would they be comforted by material belongings? And aren’t they supposed to go to heaven or one of the heavenly realms, or be reborn as something else? Religion is such a stupid, intelligence numbing creation. 

Religion has but one enemy - intelligence.

The swords and spears of the Buddha #3

The introduction of Buddhism in Japan was steeped in blood from the outset. It was never disassociated from politics and warfare and indeed it was through warfare that Buddhism was able to gain a standing in Japan.

Buddhism was introduced to Japan from Korea in 552 C.E. It carried with it traditions that were for the most part completely Chinese or Korean in origin. It was heavily influenced by the military ideals of Tang China and Korea and the idea that Buddhism was a protector of the nation - by means of arms and the “truth” of Buddhist belief.

Buddhism was first introduced to Japan on invitation of the Soga clan, a powerful clan that controlled the imperial court through the position of Great Royal Chieftain. 

Soga no Iname (506 - 570) was the head of the Soga clan and had succeeded in gaining control of the imperial court by marrying two of his daughters, Soga no Kitashi hime and Soga no Oanegimi to the 29th Emperor Kimmei (509-571 C.E.). Iname had control over imperial succession and government policies had to be approved by him as he was the Great Royal Chieftain. Through his intermarriage with the imperial line, his two daughters gave birth to three future emperors of Japan. Soga no Iname’s father was Soga no Koma (Soga of Korea) who was the Chief Minister of Japan.

According to the Nihon Shoki (an ancient “record” of Japan), Emperor Kimmei on the request of Soga no Iname received a bronze statue of Buddha as a gift from the king of Paekche Korea, King Song Myong, along with a very large envoy of carpenters to build Buddhist temples, Buddhist monks to teach the beliefs of Buddhism, horses and military equipment to help in supporting the new religion.

Soga no Iname actively promoted Buddhism and went so far as to place an image of the Buddha in a major Shintõ shrine much to the disdain of the Mononobe and Nakatomi clans. The Mononobe and Nakatomi clans opposed the introduction of this foreign religion which was seen as an attack on the shamanistic agricultural religion of Shintõ. It is interesting to note that the leaders of the Mononobe and Nakatomi clans were Mononobe no Okoshi and Nakatomi no Kanamura who were both Emperor Kimmei’s chief counsellors with the rank of Great Deity chieftains (a ranking in accordance with Shintõ).  

In 553 the Mononobe and Nakatomi clans burned the newly erected Soga Buddhist temple to the ground. Fifty years of fighting ensued between supporters of Buddhism and supporters of Shintõ (the Mononobe and the Nakatomi clans).

The Great Deity chieftains and their forces were no match for the militaristic Soga clan and Buddhism eventually won out over Shintõ and it became designated as protector of the state. As the religion which protected the state, Buddhism and the use of violence could be justified, not only in defending the imperial court but the faith of Buddhism itself. Buddhism had always been an important part of the legitimising rhetoric of the Koguryõ dynasty (37 B.C.E. - 668 C.E.) in Korea and use of arms to protect the nation as well as temples had been established for centuries in both Korea and China. This carried over into Japan with Buddhism becoming the protector of the nation and religion par excellence of the fighting forces of Japan. 

Soga no Iname’s son, Soga no Umako had the capital of Japan moved to Kudara Palace (named after the Baekje Palace in Baekje Korea) in what is now Kõryõ in Kitakatsuragi District, Nara prefecture. He built many Buddhist temples and instigated the beginning of a centralised government based on Chinese Confucianism, with a centralised military force drawn from conscripts. These military forces were the forerunners to the bushi - the samurai - the military forces of Japan. 

Soga no Iname’s daughter Soga no Kitashi hime had a daughter to Emperor Kimmei named Mikekashiya no mikoto who became the 33rd ruler of Japan as Empress Suiko (554 - 628 C.E.). In 593 C.E. she appointed Prince Shõtoku of the Soga clan as regent.

Prince Shõtoku was a passionate believer in Buddhism and composed commentaries on the Lotus Sutra, the Vimalakirti sutra and the sutra of Queen Srimala. Prince Shõtoku is recognised as the first person to call Japan Nihon (land of the rising sun). In a letter to the Emperor of China in 605 C.E. Prince Shõtoku wrote “From the king of the land of the rising sun to the king of the land of the setting sun.” 

He pushed for the conquering of the native people of Japan (the Emishi who were Caucasians) and stated that they must realise the “Truth and teachings of the Lord Buddha, [for they] must realise that the [Buddha] Dharma is the truth.” This led to centuries of conquest and the eventual defeat and integration of the native people of Japan - all while pushing the teachings of Buddha under the use of force.

Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine is in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Prefecture. It is claimed that the shrine is 2000 years old. It is locatd at the north entrance to Mount Fuji. 

Legends say that when Yamatotakeru no Mikoto was on his eastern campaign, he visited this spot and ordered that a Shinto Torii gate be built to mark the sacredness of Mount Fuji. He made an imperial proclamation that people should always climb Mount Fuji from this gate.

It is recorded that the first shrine was built in 788 but the shrine standing today was built by Torii Naritsugu in 1615.

There are actually approximately 1,310 Sengen Shinto shrines in Japan. Sengen shrines are centered around the worship of the kami Konohana-no-sakuyahime-no-mikoto, the daughter of the mountain god Ōyamatsumi-no-Mikoto. Konohana-no-sakuyahime-no-mikoto is the kami of Mount Fuji. Due to her fidelity, she is revered as a model for Japanese women. 

Sengen shrines are found primarily in Shizuoka Prefecture and Yamanashi Prefecture, with a few smaller ones in other areas of the Kantō region and Aichi. 

Generally, Sengen shrines must be within sight of Mount Fuji, and thus in connection with Konohana-no-sakuyahime-no-mikoto. Where obstructions hinder a direct view of Mount Fuji a Fujizuka or miniature Mount Fuji is erected instead where Konohana-no-sakuyahime-no-mikoto can be worshipped. A Fujizuka may be made from almost anything, but it must contain rocks from Mount Fuji which are believed to be imbued with the spirit or essence of Konohana-no-sakuyahime-no-mikoto. 

Popular worship of Mount Fuji among all classes goes back to the Muromachi period (1392-1573) and has been passed down to today. 

In 1561 the feudal lord Takeda Shingen had the Eastern Shrine built in order to placate the kami. He prayed to the kami for a victory at the fourth and most famous battle of Kawanakajima (Sept 1561) 

There are quite a few buildings that are over 300 years old. The Eastern Shrine and the Western Shrine are classified as National Historical Treasures of Japan. 

There are three sacred trees fenced off and marked by sacred rice straw ropes which are over 1000 years old standing in front of and to the right of the main shrine.

Sengen jinja, Oyama Town, Suntō District, Shizuoka prefecture.

There are approximately 1,310 Sengen Shintõ shrines in Japan. Sengen shrines are centered around the worship of the kami Konohana-no-sakuyahime-no-mikoto, the daughter of the mountain god Ōyamatsumi-no-Mikoto. Konohana-no-sakuyahime-no-mikoto is the kami of Mount Fuji. Due to her fidelity, she is revered as a model for Japanese women. 

Sengen shrines are found primarily in Shizuoka Prefecture and Yamanashi Prefecture, with a few smaller ones in other areas of the Kantō region and Aichi. 

Generally, Sengen shrines must be within sight of Mount Fuji, and thus in connection with Konohana-no-sakuyahime-no-mikoto. Where obstructions hinder a direct view of Mount Fuji a Fujizuka or miniature Mount Fuji is erected instead where Konohana-no-sakuyahime-no-mikoto can be worshipped. A Fujizuka may be made from almost anything, but it must contain rocks from Mount Fuji which are believed to be imbued with the spirit or essence of Konohana-no-sakuyahime-no-mikoto. 

Popular worship of Mount Fuji among all classes goes back to the Muromachi period (1392-1573) and has been passed down to today.

Pray to the local God in the privacy of your own home! Purchase these Kamidana (God seats) to place in your home and have the local Shintõ priest invite the God into his new little home within your home! How convenient! You can pray to the God anytime and know that he’ll be right there listening attentively from the comfort of his own little shrine!

Purchase some lights, statues and other paraphernalia to keep him entertained and feeling welcome!

Purchase a sacred mirror and you can call upon Amaterasu-ōmikami the sun goddess herself! 

Make sure to place water, salt and a piece of fruit in front of the shrine each day to keep the God alive and well.

The forests and waterways of Japan are favourite places to dump rubbish. In particular Japanese waterways are choked full of garbage. These photos were taken right next to the Sagami River.

What’s the religion that permeates everything the Japanese do? Oh yeah, Shintõ. What is the underlying teaching of Shintõ? Respect for nature.

An Omikoshi. Inside this palanquin (Omikoshi) is the local god (kami) of my neighbourhood. Today they transferred the god (I dunno how they coaxed him into the Omikoshi), and took him for a ride around the neighbourhood to bless new businesses and generally see what’s going on. I guess the god is usually so busy answering prayers at the shrine, so it’s good for him to get out. The origin of the Omikoshi is interesting. Back in the Heian period (794 to 1185), when Buddhist monks weren’t happy with government decisions concerning ordination, they would take the Omikoshi from the shrine associated with their temple down to the Imperial court and simply leave it in front of the court and return to their temple. The court, not wanting the kami (god) sitting right outside their doorstep often begged for the monks to take it back and more often than not changed their decisions to appease the monks (and have the Omikoshi removed). The monks were usually armed and any attempt to remove the Omikoshi was severely dealt with by the fierce monks. The Omikoshi therefore originated as a tool for the monks of Mount Hie, Enryakuji, Kofukuji and the like to control the court. There was no reason for the kami to be transferred into a palanquin and transported about other than for the monks to use as a tool to scare the court and get their way.

An Omikoshi. Inside this palanquin (Omikoshi) is the local god (kami) of my neighbourhood. Today they transferred the god (I dunno how they coaxed him into the Omikoshi), and took him for a ride around the neighbourhood to bless new businesses and generally see what’s going on. I guess the god is usually so busy answering prayers at the shrine, so it’s good for him to get out.

The origin of the Omikoshi is interesting. Back in the Heian period (794 to 1185), when Buddhist monks weren’t happy with government decisions concerning ordination, they would take the Omikoshi from the shrine associated with their temple down to the Imperial court and simply leave it in front of the court and return to their temple.

The court, not wanting the kami (god) sitting right outside their doorstep often begged for the monks to take it back and more often than not changed their decisions to appease the monks (and have the Omikoshi removed). The monks were usually armed and any attempt to remove the Omikoshi was severely dealt with by the fierce monks.

The Omikoshi therefore originated as a tool for the monks of Mount Hie, Enryakuji, Kofukuji and the like to control the court. There was no reason for the kami to be transferred into a palanquin and transported about other than for the monks to use as a tool to scare the court and get their way.