A Year in the Life of a Shinto Shrine

by John K. Nelson

What we today call Shinto has been at the heart of Japanese culture for almost as long as there has been a political entity distinguishing itself as Japan. A Year in the Life of a Shinto Shrine describes the ritual cycle at Suwa Shrine, Nagasaki's major Shinto shrine. Conversations with priests, other shrine personnel, and people attending shrine functions supplement John K. Nelson's observations of over fifty shrine rituals and festivals. He elicits their views on the meaning and personal relevance of the religious events and the place of Shinto and Suwa Shrine in Japanese society, culture, and politics. Nelson focuses on the very human side of an ancient institution and provides a detailed look at beliefs and practices that, although grounded in natural cycles, are nonetheless meaningful in late-twentieth-century Japanese society.

Nelson explains the history of Suwa Shrine, basic Shinto concepts, and the Shinto worldview, including a discussion of the Kami, supernatural forces that pervade the universe. He explores the meaning of ritual in Japanese culture and society and examines the symbols, gestures, dances, and meanings of a typical shrine ceremony. He then describes the cycle of activities at the shrine during a calendar the seasonal rituals and festivals and the petitionary, propitiary, and rite-of-passage ceremonies performed for individuals and specific groups. Among them are the Dolls' Day festival, in which young women participate in a procession and worship service wearing Heian period costumes; the autumn Okunchi festival, which attracts participants from all over Japan and even brings emigrants home for a visit; the ritual invoking the blessing of the Kami for young children; and the ritual sanctifying the earth before a building is constructed. The author also describes the many roles women play in Shinto and includes an interview with a female priest.

Shinto has always been attentive to the protection of communities from unpredictable human and divine forces and has imbued its ritual practices with techniques and strategies to aid human life. By observing the Nagasaki shrine's traditions and rituals, the people who make it work, and their interactions with the community at large, the author shows that cosmologies from the past are still very much a part of the cultural codes utilized by the nation and its people to meet the challenges of today.

Genres: Japan, Nonfiction, Religion, Anthropology, Philosophy, Theology, Asia

225 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I originally thought A Year in the Life of a Shinto Shrine was going to be a raw, 365-day account of activity at a Shinto Shrine. unfortunately for me, this book was only maybe a third of my expectations.

John K. Nelson's book is broken up into four sections representing the four seasons. each section gives an overview of the festivals, ceremonies and rituals conducted at Suwa Shrine, Nagasaki, in particular. before the reader starts learning about the various seasonal festivals, Nelson gives a nice, general explanation of Shinto, how Japanese people view Shinto (as well as Kami) and how it differs from other major world religions. Nelson also provides interviews with Priests, Head Priests and a Priestess to expand his lens on Shinto as well.

this account of Shinto and her (?) endeavors isn't bad but I was just hoping for a more of a day-to-day observation journal style which makes me want to maybe do that myself...

[Emi · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is interesting, but i just didn't love it as much as I hoped. The information presented was well but from a very foreigner perspective. I felt that the authenticity of the information was a bit lost through the lens of an American.

[Zhelana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was really interesting, but it left me with the feel that shinto wasn't a particular thing - that it really was just like any number of other pre-christian religions, and I wasn't sure what was special about it other than the one festival where they marched neighborhoods through the street. It was really interesting, though, that section. I was left feeling bad for the poorer neighborhoods, who, even with the stipend would have difficulty raising the money for a 3 day party. I'd like to read another book that maybe covered Shinto beliefs, rather than just the methods of their rituals. This one would have made a better second book to read, I think. The most interesting thing about this book is how relevant Shinto has remained to the Japanese people, whereas in most of the world a few major world religions have taken over completely.

[Jefferson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a light, interesting overview of the liturgical year of a Shinto shrine in Nagasaki, Japan.

I enjoyed it. It felt like your nerdy uncle excitingly telling you about his time in Japan and hanging out with a bunch of Shinto priests. Here and there, the author tries some experimentation with style and storytelling. He is, perhaps, not a literary giant but it keeps the narrative refreshed.

The book is mostly documentary. It is only at the very end that Nelson provides much sociological commentary about struggles of modernity and history and current issues of Shinto.

I learned a lot. I recommend to anyone interested in Shinto or religious studies.

[Saskia (Smitie) · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I was a bit worried about the tone of the book. It started a bit like a scientific article with all the careful scentences to nuance the statements. It gets quite confusing.

But after the first chapters it gets more interesting with personal notes and a view of how a shrine functions during the seasons. Next time I visit Japan I will look to the shrines with a little bit more understanding of what I am looking at.

[Stefan Dion Garcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a bit more dry and academic than I would have preferred. I wish it took more of a phenomenological approach. But it was very informative.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this insider's account of what goes on in a Shinto shrine, but I never managed to get all the way through it. Since I go through cycles of interest in my reading, I'm hoping to come back to it the next time I'm reading about Japan.

[Havala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for an eastern religions class. Wonderful descriptions of Japanese ceremony, Japanese life, and a behind the scenes look at how a shrine is run. Definitely helped me understand what Shinto is.
Beautiful imagery. Easy read. Interesting topic.

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting, educated outsider's point of view bolstered by first hand interviewing and opinion of those involved. Would recommend to anyone interested in Japanese culture, history, and Shinto itself. Made sense of a lot of things that puzzled me during my visit in 2008.

[Emily]

This is on the list, because it came up in a library database search . . . and has a chapter called "Beans versus Demons" (28 Feb 2012)

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly interesting, a little hard to follow at times.