Shinto Shrines: A Guide to the Sacred Sites of Japan’s Ancient Religion

by Joseph Cali, John Dougill

In recent years, there has been a significant surge in interest in spiritual matters, including a noticeable move toward Eastern religions such as Shintoism. Until now, however, there has been no resource in English providing extensive information about Shinto shrines for the many Westerners who travel to Japan to visit these sites.

With over 100 color photos, fifty black-and-white detailed illustrations, and maps, this handy guidebook showcases sixty-six major Shinto shrines, many of which are World Heritage Sites or National Treasures. In their opening section, the authors introduce both basic and fascinating aspects of this ancient religion, which remains intricately woven into the very fabric of Japanese culture. They discuss the history of Shintoism and its fundamental tenets; its relationship to Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and other Eastern belief systems; customs and rites; and types of festivals.

The Guide portion of the book is organized by region of the country. For each shrine, there is a comprehensive entry highlighting important spiritual features, physical features of the structure itself (architecture, design, and art), associated festivals, and enshrined gods. The authors also note the prayers offered, and the best times for travelers to visit. The comprehensive histories of each shrine, taken as a whole, provides a comprehensive look at Shinto and its connection to such aspects of Japanese culture as martial arts, samurai, pirates and poetry. An excellent jumping off point on a tour of Japan and its culture.

Genres: Japan, Religion, History, Nonfiction

328 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2011

Reviews

[Tiina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ma ei suuda leida sõnu, kirjeldamaks kui võimas lugemiselamus see oli. See raamat tutvustab küll suuremaid ja olulisemaid shinto pühamuid Jaapanis, aga teadmisi, mida rakendada pisemate pühamute puhul, sain hulgaliselt. Seda raamatut lugedes tundsin, et tahan seda oma koduriiulile. Tahan seda päriseks, et see nädalavahetusel seljakotti pista ja võtta see välja mõnes unustatud pühapaigas.

See raamat pühendab natuke aega igale piirkonnale, kuid kõige pikemad peatükid on Tokyost ja Kyotost, mis on kahtlemata ühed peamised turismireisi sihtpunktid. Minu prefektuurist tutvustati ainult ühte pühamut, Suwa Taishat, kuhu ma loodan minna aastal 2022 (eeldusel, et ma siis ka veel siin elan), et näha Onbashira matsurit, mille käigus vahetatakse välja pühamukompleksi templite talad. Suwa Taisha paistab teiste hulgast välja selle poolest, et talavahetusega kaasneb hulgaliselt ohtlike rituaale ning aeg-ajalt saab mõni osaline surma ka.

Iga raamatus tutvustatud templi/pühamu puhul analüüsivad autorid selle arhitektuuristiili ja tutvustavad neis elavaid jumalaid ning nende saamislugu. Lisaks märgitakse veel ära see, millel toimuvad olulisemad üritused. Ära on toodud ka muu oluline info tuuride, sissepääsutasude ja selle kohta, millal on kõige parem templit külastada.

Minu jaoks tegi lugemiselamuse eriliseks aga esimene peatükk, kus räägitakse põhitõdedest. Mõnikord on shinto segunenud budismiga ning pühas paigas on natuke mõlemat. Ilmselt kannan seda peatükki endaga kogu ülejäänud elu kaasas, sest ma sain teada nii palju uut. Kuna ma külastan shinto pühamuid vähemalt kord nädalas (üks inari pühamu on mul pisikese jalutuskäigu kaugusel), siis ma tajusin väga selgelt, kuidas need visiidid muutusid. Ma tundsin ära puu, milles peitub jumaluse hing. Ma oskasin nimetada seda kohta, kus pestakse käsi. See tekitas minus nii suurt vaimustust ja minu pidevad "see on see" ja "too on too" ütlemised viisid selleni, et ka sõbranna nõudis selle raamatu omale lugemiseks.

[John Matthew IV · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazingly detailed book on Shinto shrines in Japan. You need pack this in your suitcase when you go there.

p. 9) "Shibuya girl"

p. 12-13) Any book on Shinto will tell you that kami does not mean God in the Western sense, and that "god" is only a poor approximation.

p. 13) Shinto is considered a "natural" as opposed to a revealed religion.

p. 13) Shinto is not only a polytheistic, but also a pantheistic faith, meaning kami manifest in everything.

p. 14) Type of kami:
* Kami of nature
* Kami of folk worship
* Kami of deification
* Kami of shared belief
* Kami no tsukai
* Kami of latter-day religious sects
* Imported and amalgamated kami - "seven lucky gods"
* Benzaiten
* Bishamonten
* Diakokuten
* Ebisu
* Fukurkuju
* Jurojin
* Hotei

p. 23) Six lineages of Buddhism in Kyoto:
1 - Kegon
2 - Hosso
3 - Sanron
4 - Gusha
5 - Ritsu
6 - Jojitsu

p. 23) Four Heavenly Gods:
1 - Vaisravana
2 - Dhrtarastra
3 - Virupaksa
4 - Virudhaka

p. 24) "Born Shinto, (Marry Christian), Die Buddhist"

p. 25) shugendo retreats: https://www.japan.travel/en/sports/ad...

p. 29) Sixteen shrines (chokusaisha): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chokusa...

p. 30) Ranking of priests:
* Guji: Chief Priest
* Gonguji: Assistant Chief Priest
* Negi: Senior Priest
* Gonnegi: Junior Priest
* Kannushi: Priest

p. 30) Five accredited ranks:
1 - Jokai
2 - Meikai
3 - Seikai
4 - Gon-seikai
5 - Chokai

p. 47) Yakuyoke protection from danger

p. 51-52) The Imperial Route (Kiiji)
Ohechi route: https://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/kumano-ko...
Nakahechi route: https://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/kumano-ko...

p. 53) "We have no theology. We dance."

p. 56) Yabusame: horseback archery

p. 86-86) Tomioka Hachimangu: birthplace of modern sumo
Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Arena, Tokyo

p. 87) Big Four Festivals:
1 - Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri
2 - Sanno
3 - Kanda
4- Sanja

p. 91) Yasukuni Jinja, Tokyo
Sumo tournaments are held as part of their Spring Festival: https://www.yasukuni.or.jp/mobile-gui...

p. 93) Yushukan, war museum

p. 101) Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kyoto
Thousands of torii

p. 115) Kamo Wakeikazuchi Jinja>/b>, Kyoto
The origin of he shrine is unknown, but thought to date back to prehistory.

p. 119) Kam Mioya Jinja, Kyoto
Founded in the seventh year of the reign of Emperor Sujin (r.97-37 BC), according to shrine tradition.

p. 157) Isonokami Jingu, Nara
At the behest of Emperor Suinin (r. 29 BC - AD 70)
Sword Museum

p. 169) Tamukeyama Hachimangu, Nara
Volunteer tour guides are available

p. 173) Aiki Jinja, Ibaraki
Home of Aikido

p. 180) Katori Jingu, Chiba

p. 182) Katori is a nice place for a day trip.

p. 183) Narita Shinshoji Temple, Chiba
Part of a day trip

p. 200) Tsurugaoka Hachimangu
Yabusame

p. 214) Ise Jingu
Must See Shrine

p. 294) Kotohiragu, Kagawa
Founding is unknown, but about three thousand years according to shrine tradition.

p. 298) Oyamazumi Jinja, Ehime
Founded during the reign of first Emperor Jinju
On an island in the Island Sea

p. 321) Suggested Reading
Religion in Japan: Arrows to Heaven and Earth
Religion in Contemporary Japan
The Six National Histories of Japan
Japanese Pilgrimage

p. 322) Suggested Reading
Shinto: The Way Home
The Essence of Shinto: Japan's Spiritual Heart
Yasukuni, the War Dead, and the Struggle for Japan's Past
Enduring Identities: The Guise of Shinto in Contemporary Japan
A Year in the Life of a Shinto Shrine

[Ashley Lambert-Maberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just what I wanted—a fairly clear, concise look at the high points of your typical Shinto Shrine so that when I went to visit a couple of dozen on my upcoming trip I'd be able to make sense of it. I didn't need to delve too far, just enough to be about as familiar with them as I am with the forms and function of Christian churches, and this book helped enormously. It further goes on to be a guide book, listing numerous shrines across Japan and discussing their features, and to be fair I didn't read that section except to glance at (I have another, very detailed guide already that I'll consult when in person).

(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s). I feel a lot of readers automatically render any book they enjoy 5, I'm a bit more ruthless.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I get that there are far too many shrines in the country to have a definitive list of them all in one book (though there should be a website for that as I often find when traveling in Japan I likes the random small neighborhood ones the best), but no Hokkaido at all? Not one? No Kanazawa either which means no distinctive Oyama Shrine.

Nevertheless, its a very good guide to what is included in it. Offers a good breakdown of shrine construction and components in the beginning too.

[Chris Coll · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used to this book as a guide to visiting several Shinto shrines on my recent trip to Japan. Although I have visited a lot of shrines and temples on my previous stints in Japan, there were in the Tokyo and Kyoto sections of this book that I had not been to and was able to visit this time around. Will keep this handy for futures trips and adventures to different parts of the country.

[Ad · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent guide to the most interesting Shinto shrines in Japan, with a very complete introduction about Shinto, Shinto architecture, etc. Shinto shrines so far have played second fiddle to Buddhist temples, so this guide is very welcome. Although there are usually no statues or gardens, and you can't enter the buildings, Shinto shrines can give visitors a very pure feeling with their gracious architecture and the beautiful natural locations in which they are often situated.