Shinto Rituals & Doctrine

Ritual

Additional rituals and traditions can be learned about in the Traditions and Holidays section

Kamidana and Home Worship

Kamidana are "home shrines" that Japanese household will have in order to perform daily rituals and worship. Kamidana are placed high on the wall in one's house above eye level, kept immaculately clean, and will have a wooden visage of a shrine with cabinets containing warding ofuda (see Priest & Shrine Maiden Tools) Above the shelf will be hung a shimenawa adorned with shide in order to invite the kami to be able to inhabit your shrine, and help protect and bless you, and in exchange you will place sacrifices upon the altar. Before giving any prayers at the altar, one must be sure to cleanse your hands and mouth with water. Sacrifices and respects will be paid on these altars to kami that protect that home's town or prefecture, or a kami that has power over a certain phenomenon or resource relevant to the inhabitants of that home. Respect is also paid to one's ancestors, who Japanese believe still have influence and power over the world, and have the capacity to bless and curse. Sacrifices can include, sake, money, incense, etc.

Kagura

A ceremonial dance performed by shrine maidens. The purpose of this dance is both a form of worship as well as a means to channel the divine chi of a kami. The dances require specific movements, and are accompanied by religious music.

Kamigakari

A methodology by which a shrine maiden may enter a trance to allow themselves to be temporarily possessed by a kami or other spirit, and that that spirit may communicate through the body of the mortal. This ritual requires the shrine maiden to adorn themselves with items that allow the kami to inhabit them, such as shimenawa and shide. Though unlikely, a spirit with ulterior motives may try to take over the whole body of the shrine maiden once invited in, and can only be purged by cleansing magic.

Shrine/Temple Visiting

Outside of community gatherings, individuals may visit a shrine or temple for a number of reasons. Many Japanese will go to procure resources like ofuda, omikuji, omamori, or other Priest and Shrine Maiden Tools. Especially in small towns, a person under the protection of a kami may visit a shrine to have a shrine maiden act as a middleman to communicate with a kami. Shrines are also good places for people to stay if yokai are loose, as they will have strong warding countermeasures. Shrines are also the locations for events like weddings, and other ceremonies. Lastly, one can go to a shrine to be purified by a priest or shrine maiden.

Norito

Norito are Shinto ritual prayers that are addressed directly to kami during formal ceremonies. They are recited by a priest on behalf of the worshipers. The prayers are spoken formally in phrases of great beauty. Sosukese believe that certain words have spiritual power if properly spoken, and this style of language is used because of a belief that using these 'beautiful', 'correct' words will bring about good. These prayers also include a blessing specifically for the preservation of the imperial reign. Here are the stages of this formal prayer ceremony:

1. Purification - this takes place before the main ceremony
2. Adoration - bowing to the altar
3. Opening of the sanctuary
4. Presentation of food offerings (meat cannot be used as an offering)
5. Prayers
6. Music and dance
7. Offerings - these are symbolic and consist of twigs of a sacred tree bearing of shide
8. Removal of offerings
9. Closing the sanctuary
10. Final adoration
11. Sermon (optional)
12. Ceremonial meal (this is often reduced to ceremonial sake drinking)

Doctrine

Purity and Cleansing

The concept of separating the common from the sacred, and the impure from the pure is a foundational value of Shinto. Japanese as opposed to other races are seen as having an inherently divine soul that was gifted to them by the kami, and any evil that is present within the nation is sourced in external corruption that has found its way in. The fight against this impurity is seen as a primary goal of the religion and consequently the government and nation. This practice results in many rituals based around cleansing, and social norms and policies around isolationism and skepticism of foreign things and practices. There is also skepticism of internal change as it is seen as an infraction against one's ancestors, and an implication that the fundamentals of the system are insufficient.
On the other hand, the Japanese people believe they have a religiously mandated imperative to be the divinely appointed leaders of the world. This bold imperative takes many forms within the religion, from a soft interpretation of being the philosophical guides and examples for other nations of what a proper society is to be. The opposite extreme posits that this role of leadership is to be a literal uniting of all nations under a single government, and that this must be achieved by any means necessary as a divine duty.

Cyclical History and Unchanging Nature

Shinto doctrine believes that history will repeat itself in cycles of rebirth, growth, corruption, and destruction. This belief is rooted in the idea that Japanese in all periods of time are fundamentally the same, and will be corrupted by external influence and consequently will destroy themselves. One of the main goals of Shinto is to break this cycle by eliminating the presence of corrupting influences in the world, and thus creating a truly pure world.

Natural Order and Harmony

A peaceful and ordered world is the ultimate goal of Shinto. This means harmony between people, and in all social relationships, and between people and nature. Harmony is only possible through unity, meaning views that conflict with the religion must not be allowed, lest they introduce chaos and thus disorder and an inharmonious world.