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Kami may, at its root, simply mean spirit, or an aspect of spirituality. It is written with the kanji 神, Sino-Japanese reading shin or jin. In Chinese, the character means deity or spirit. [8] In the Ainu language, the word kamuy refers to an animistic concept very similar to Japanese kami.
Food offered up could range from their staple of rice to seafood, food foraged from the mountains, seasonal foods, local specialties, or food connected to the enshrined kami. At the end of the ritual, the offered food is eaten together to gain a sense of unity with the kami, and to gain their blessing and protection. The rite is known as naorai.
Archeological research in Japan confirms these sects to be ancient. [7] In shrines, even today stones considered to be related to the shrine's kami are used to make food offerings to the kami. [7] Similarly an iwasaka (磐境) is a stone altar or mound erected as a yorishiro to call a kami for worship. [8]
This suggests that there was a belief in spiritual foxes in ancient Japan. [10] The "Chujin Harai-kun," a book written in the 12th century, states that the kami's messenger is second only to the eight great kami and is subordinate to the 100,000 kami. Moreover, "Kitakami Yuki-fu," an essay written in the early 19th century, explains that a ...
Shinko-shiki is primarily linked with the Kami's visitation to its adherents, although interpretations and ceremonial practices can vary significantly. [ 15 ] For example, the Tokyo Shinko-shiki tends to be lively with a focus on revelry and alcohol consumption, whereas in Yuzawa , it is characterized by a more subdued and formal atmosphere.
Kagura (神楽 (かぐら), "god-entertainment") is a type of Shinto ritual ceremonial dance. The term is a contraction of the phrase kami no kura ("seat of god"), indicating the presence of gods in the practice. One major function of kagura is chinkon (purifying and shaking the spirit), involving a procession-trance process.
A torii gateway to the Yobito Shrine (Yobito-jinja) in Abashiri City, HokkaidoThere is no universally agreed definition of Shinto. [2] According to Joseph Cali and John Dougill, if there was "one single, broad definition of Shinto" that could be put forward, it would be that "Shinto is a belief in kami", the supernatural entities at the centre of the religion. [3]
A Shinto wedding ceremony. A Shinto wedding ceremony is typically a small affair, limited to family, while a reception is open to a larger group of friends. [1]Shinzen kekkon, literally "wedding before the kami," is a Shinto purification ritual [2] that incorporates the exchange of sake between the couple before they are married. [1]