Author: Abu Ayesha
Shinto Religion (Part 13)
Temple
Another important element of worship and rituals in the Shinto religion is the temple. The topic of the temple has already been discussed in detail, and there is no need to repeat it here.
Household Shrines
Alongside public temples and famous shrines, the people of Japan also have private household sanctuaries in which they perform worship and prayer.
In the traditional homes of Shinto followers, a special corner of the living room is dedicated to an altar called Kami Dana (literally, “Shelf of the Gods”). On this altar—which in fact serves as a kind of domestic shrine—they place symbols representing the kami (deities) and, from time to time, offer prayers and gifts before them.[1]
Every house possesses a Shinto altar where the spirits of ancestors or the family’s kami are worshiped. Ritual offerings such as rice, fruits, or incense are presented before them.[2]
These elements of worship among the Japanese people are not unanimously agreed upon by writers and researchers. Some enumerate many such elements, while others count fewer. For instance, one writer summarizes the essential elements of worship in four points as follows:
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Purity and cleanliness;
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Offering of sacrifices;
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Prayer, which resembles supplication.[3]
Groups of Japanese men and women dressed in traditional white garments circle the temple rapidly and immerse themselves in a pool filled with still water. This traditional ritual is one of the fundamental ceremonies in the Shinto faith, to which over 80 percent of the Japanese people belong. The history of this religion dates back to thirteen centuries before the birth of Christ.[4]
Just as the Shinto religion itself and its origin story are, according to Japanese belief, mysterious and extraordinary, their acts of worship, rituals, and ceremonies are also quite complex and ambiguous. For those who wish to perform worship or pass through the sacred torii gates of the shrines, certain rules have been established. Pilgrims must go through three main stages before entering the shrines to perform worship and rituals:
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First stage: When passing through the torii gates (the special gates of the shrines), one must bow the head and show reverence.
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Second stage: One must walk along the side path and proceed to the small pools of the shrine.
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Third stage: Using the water from the pools, one must cleanse the hands and mouth. To do this, the ladle should first be held with the right hand to pour water over the left hand, then with the left hand to pour over the right, and finally, the mouth should be rinsed and covered.[5]
Another important practice among the Japanese people is offering gifts and votive offerings to temples and shrines. This also follows a particular method.
The gifts and offerings consist of edible items such as rice, rice wine, fish, fruits, vegetables, and other foods, as well as clothing items like garments, money, paper, jewelry, and textiles made of silk, cotton, or linen. These offerings are presented to the deities and ancestral spirits of the emperors, heroes, and ancient leaders of the nation while the priest recites a special prayer known as Norito before the inner altar.[6]
Material offerings and gifts to the gods constitute another part of Shinto worship. At present, the daily offerings presented at the Ise Shrine to the Sun Goddess and the Goddess of Food include four cups of sake, sixteen saucers of rice, and four saucers of salt, along with fish, poultry dishes, fruits, seaweeds, and vegetables. The annual offerings at the tomb of the first emperor, Jimmu, consist of products of the mountains, rivers, and seas, such as fish, cakes, birds, and rice wine.[7]
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References:
[1] Ebrahim, Alireza. Ayin-e Shinto; Negahi az Faraz, n.d., p. 97.
[2] Farhang-e Japan, written by several anthropologists and cultural thinkers; author of the mentioned article: Hamideh Amiryazdani, n.d., p. 113.
[3] Al-Ta’eb, Muhammad Shaheen. Madwunat al-Ta’eb, article title: Al-Shintawiyyah, 1444 AH.
[4] Basheer, Khalid. Article title: What Do You Know About the Japanese Shinto Religion?, published in Hafriyat, 2025 CE.
[5] History of the Shinto Religion, Religion in Japan – Shintoism, Espilet Alborz website, published in 1402 SH.
[6] John Noss, Man’s Religions, translated by Ali Asghar Hekmat, 3rd edition, 1354 SH, Franklin Publications, pp. 289–290.
[7] Tahoora Encyclopedia website, article title: Worship and Religious Rituals in the Shinto Religion.
