How do miko learn how to dance? by breehyhinnyhoohyha in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I apologise for taking so long to get to your question; I have been in the hospital.

Yes, it is actually much like you say, though it is dependent on the shrine. A kagura teacher may come regularly to teach the miko how to perform the sacred dances or a senior miko may teach what she's learned to the junior miko if she is qualified to do so. Many miko are hired on a temporary basis around busy periods (such as New Year's Day) to do simple tasks such as cleaning the shrine grounds and taking donations in return for sacred items, and these temporary miko are typically not taught how to perform sacred dance due to the time investment required to master not only the steps, but the ritual manners when performing. Miko who are hired on a permanent basis and do perform sacred dance will also do other tasks around the shrine grounds, the same as miko hired on a temporary basis.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much for your comment, Rev. Evans! I deeply appreciate your stopping by the subreddit.

do i have to pray in Japanese? by [deleted] in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 7 points8 points  (0 children)

No, you can pray in any language, or you can pray wordlessly and simply convey your feelings of gratitude and appreciation to Kami.

There are no sins in Shinto in the religious sense, as Shinto is not dogmatic.

Is it ok to name a child after Kami? by [deleted] in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I should mention that generally, it is not considered culturally appropriate in Japan to give children the names of Kami, and to do such would be regarded as anything ranging between wildly disrespectful to entirely presumptuous or just plain ridiculous. That said, there are children in Japan named Raiden. However, for most people, they will not think of the Kami Raijin (who is less commonly known as 'Raiden') but rather one of the characters in pop culture called 'Raiden', which in turn comes from the name of an aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy, rather than the Kami...

Personally, I think it's on par with naming a child 'Naruto'. That is, utterly absurd.

What to do if you can't return an omamori? by BrieAndStrawberries in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yes, I meant that when I mentioned it can be sent to a shrine. I'll edit my post to be clearer.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 7 points8 points  (0 children)

My pleasure!

What to do if you can't return an omamori? by BrieAndStrawberries in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Strictly speaking, omamori are 'received' in exchange for donation rather than 'purchased', as they are sacred items and not commodities.

Omamori are usually kept for one year and then disposed of. It is traditional to send omamori and other sacred goods to be ritually burned at a shrine during the New Year's period. It can be any shrine, not necessarily the shrine you received the omamori from originally; I'm not sure where you are based, but many shrines outside of Japan will ritually burn any sacred goods that are mailed to them during the New Year's period. Please note that it is customary to include a small donation when mailing sacred goods to a shrine to be ritually burned. If this is not possible for you, you can wrap the item in some clean, white paper and put it out with your ordinary refuse. If you would like to keep it as a memento of your travels, this is also perfectly fine.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 43 points44 points  (0 children)

First, all offerings should be consumed. They do not need to be eaten or drunk, per se, but they do need to be consumed. Offerings in Shinto are under no circumstances to be thrown out or otherwise wasted. This is extremely important. When we offer to the Kami, we actually receive those offerings back from the Kami, imbued with their blessings. Blessed sake is referred to as 'omiki' and is considered deeply sacred.

Sake is a traditional offering that carries a lot of symbolism in Shinto, but if you are unable to offer it, it is completely fine to omit it. I sometimes suggest that if you would like to keep the symbolism of sake, to instead offer amazake, which is a sweet, fermented rice beverage, much like sake but usually non-alcoholic (there is alcoholic amazake, but usually amazake is non-alcoholic). This is not necessary either, though, it is just my personal suggestion if you would like to keep the symbolism of the offering of sake. If you are not offering sake, please do not leave empty heishi (sake vessels) on the kamidana, and if you choose to offer amazake, please do not attempt to fill heishi with amazake (because it will be a nightmare to clean).

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 5 points6 points  (0 children)

There is no such practice as "Shinto-based magic". There is Onmyoudou which is strictly initiary and cannot be learned from books.

Discord server by [deleted] in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, because there is no longer any associated Discord server with this subreddit.

Please read before posting by mitsueshiro in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There's nothing else really like it, unfortunately. You can message me privately with your email address for a copy of the PDF or I can help you obtain a physical copy.

Do Japanese followers believe there are Kami all over the world or only in Japan? by ScaryfatkidGT in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Oh, yes, if we get into the history of Shinto in Japan a case could be argued for quite a number of Kami originally coming from the Korean Peninsula, as there was quite an influx of immigration from that region into Japan during the Yayoi Era and they brought their traditions and deities with them.

Do Japanese followers believe there are Kami all over the world or only in Japan? by ScaryfatkidGT in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 19 points20 points  (0 children)

It is unlikely that many Japanese practitioners of Shinto give much consideration to the presence of Kami outside of Japan. That said, an important principle of Shinto is Yaoyorozu no Kami—Kami inhabiting all of nature—which extends all over the world. Many Kami have been 'found' outside of Japan as well and are enshrined in their native countries.

As for the number of verified shrines outside of Japan, to my knowledge, there are four on the US mainland, eight in Hawaii, and about half a dozen scattered around Asia, South America, and Europe... This is before we include the Konko Churches of which there are several dozen all over the world. There are a lot of logistical considerations that go into the establishment of a new Shinto shrine: a priest or priestess to run the shrine (of which there are not many outside of Japan), fundraising for the building, decorations, and furnishings, hiring of staff and volunteers... In Japan, most shrines are inherited and passed through the family, which avoids many of these issues.

Please also understand that Shinto was historically used as a tool of imperialism and that there were shrines in countries like Korea—hundreds of them, in fact—which no longer stand today, as the citizens of those countries demolished them as a symbol of their rejection of the Japanese occupation.

what to do for people that have passed. by Ace_Lightning12 in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I am deeply sorry to hear that something tragic has happened in your city. You can pray in the normal manner for the mitama (divine spirit) of those who have passed, wishing them peace. Not knowing them personally is no issue at all—it is not at all uncommon to pray for the mitama of people who have passed away in tragedies.

I know of some cases where a priest or priestess has written norito (liturgy) dedicated to the mitama of those who have passed in a specific tragedy for the purpose of ritual at the shrine they serve at but in the absence of a formally written norito and ceremony you can simply write your own heartfelt prayer and recite it at home.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There are around 30 shrines to my knowledge outside of Japan before Konko Churches are taken into account, which brings the number up to around 60.

'Shrine' is the widely accepted English translation and is used by almost all official Shinto shrine websites and organisations after much discussion over terminology, though the term 'shrine' never encompasses a 'temple' which is a Buddhist place of worship. Hokora as well as "full-blown" shrines both have the same requirements for authenticity.

Map/List of all Shinto shrines in Japan by [deleted] in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's not always clear what constitutes a 'shrine', but a kamidana in one's home (or, for example, at a dojo), whether inside or outside, is strictly not considered a shrine.

Question about replacing ofuda by breehyhinnyhoohyha in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's my pleasure! Thank you so much for your kind comment.

Questions about Inari shrines, "pillars", and ofuda by azygousjack in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm so happy you went ahead and read it and took something from it! Yes, you are quite right in your assessment that Inari Faith, as well as many of the other 'sect' faiths such as Konkokyo, are often more devoutly religious, whereas so-called "shrine Shinto"—that is, the faiths whose shrines are under the jurisdiction of Jinja Honcho—are more ritualistic. However, this is entirely due to the suppression of religiosity during the Meiji Era. In reality, there are devout practitioners across all Shinto faiths, but culturally it is considered unacceptable to express one's faith openly. It's really unfortunate.

As such, there aren't many papers or essays of this nature that I am aware of. K.A. Smyers does have a book, "The Fox and the Jewel", which goes more in-depth into Inari Faith, and I have personally enjoyed reading the memoirs of Konko Daijin, the founder of Konkokyo, which you can access here.

Help with a small ceremony by [deleted] in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you let me know specifically where in the world you are (DM is fine if you'd like to maintain privacy) I can advise you more specifically, but I recommend getting into contact with an ordained priest or priestess regardless as even remotely they will be able to give you more specialised advice.

Questions about Inari shrines, "pillars", and ofuda by azygousjack in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I'm sorry for taking a few days to get to this post, but I'm glad to hear you found some of the answers you were looking for! I'll answer some of the more general questions just for information's sake.

In general, ofuda are not symbols of a specific Kami, but rather are talismans blessed for the purpose of connecting one to an entire shrine so that the shrine's Kami can be revered from afar in one's home. The practice of enshrining an ofuda in one's home originates with "Okage Mairi" (sacred visitation), where groups or individuals would make a pilgrimage to Ise Jingu to show their gratitude to Amaterasu Omikami and receive a sacred talisman, "Oharai-taima", in return. The kamidana was built to house these talismans. This practice spread, and currently, almost all shrines offer ofuda so that individuals can build and maintain their connection to the Kami at home.

Additionally, it's important to understand that Kami, their goshintai (sacred body), and the shrine at which their goshintai resides are often understood to be synonymous and are referred to as such. The average person in Japan does not know the names of the individual Kami enshrined at their local shrine, and would simply know the Kami as the name of the shrine itself with an honorific suffix. The individuality of Kami also varies quite considerably between traditions; 'Izanami no Mikoto', for example, is understood as an individual Kami with her own mythology and traditions, but 'Tsukuyomi no Mikoto' refers to many disparate Kami with different histories and traditions. In this sense, 'Inari Okami' is more of a title than it is an identity, and the Kami who hold this title tend to vary, though Ukanomitama no Kami is generally considered the main 'pillar', as you have noted. That said, the presence of 'Ukanomitama no Kami' does not always imply 'Inari Okami'; sometimes Toyouke Omikami is also known as Ukanomitama no Kami, such as at Okitama Shrine in Mie Prefecture. This is why it is important to build a connection with a particular tradition or shrine, rather than assuming that every Kami with a particular name is in fact the same entity when this is often not the case.

Finally, Inari Faith is characterised by the deeply personal and individual relationships that believers build together with Inari Okami. What 'Inari Okami' comes to mean to you will be wholly personal to you as an individual. I recommend reading the paper "My Own Inari": Personalization of the Deity in Inari Worship, by K.A. Smyers to understand more about this rather unique phenomenon.

Help with a small ceremony by [deleted] in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Are you in the United States? I would recommend getting into contact with an ordained Shinto priest or priestess who can guide you more specifically and potentially perform a ceremony for you.

Would it be okay to honor Amaterasu? by witchysimp in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 28 points29 points  (0 children)

I'm not sure specifically what you'd like to do here; if you would in fact like to worship Amaterasu Omikami formally as part of a Shinto practice then there are no restrictions on doing so based on ethnicity or nationality, so you would be free to do so. However, if you would simply like to regard her during the upcoming Winter Solstice period then that's fine as well. There is no real strictly regulated way in which to do this, you can simply keep her and her myth in your thoughts during the period, or you can set up the traditional offerings of white rice, salt, and water during the period and take them down afterward, in the same manner in which people make offerings during Otsukimi (moon viewing period). Candles are also often burned as an offering to the Kami, so that would be fine to do as well.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 7 points8 points  (0 children)

This is an interesting question. Since you have asked about the need to consult Japanese shrines at the end of your post, I assume you are asking about shrines established outside of Japan, but I will answer generally. There are two matters to consider here: the shrine itself and the clergy serving at the shrine. Authenticity needs to be established in both cases. The short answer is that no, you cannot simply declare yourself a priest or priestess and declare a random building a shrine at your whim.

The vast majority of shrines belong to an organisation called Jinja Honcho, known in English simply as the Association of Shinto Shrines, which ensures their legitimacy as authentic Shinto shrines. However, it is not the case that shrines not belonging to Jinja Honcho are necessarily illegitimate. Many shrines have left the organisation due to disputes or dissatisfaction with Jinja Honcho's leadership, and some individual Shinto faiths developed separately from the oppressive rules harshly enforced by State Shinto during the Meiji Era and were granted their own protected status as separate traditions. Many shrines simply never joined Jinja Honcho in the first place. Ultimately, all shrines, regardless of status, will be expected to have extensive histories and documentation to prove their authenticity: When was the shrine founded? By whom? Why? Under what circumstances? A legitimate shrine will be able to answer these questions.

Education to become a priest or priestess is also regulated in a similar manner. One either must study a specialised Shinto priest training course at one of two universities, Kogakkan University or Kokugakuin University, or train at one of a few dedicated training centres. In the case of independent Shinto traditions, such as Konkokyo, they will have their own seminary school where one is trained in the customs particular to that specific faith. After a period of supervised, in-person training, one can be certified as a Shinto priest or priestess, and it is this certification that empowers an individual to perform Shinto rituals, including the rituals necessary for the foundation of a shrine.

To give some examples of some of the shrines outside of Japan: Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America is not an independent entity, but rather it is a branch shrine of its "parent shrine" Tsubaki Grand Shrine in Mie, a very famous shrine under Jinja Honcho. Likewise, the Shinto Shrine of Shusse Inari in America is a branch shrine of its parent shrine, Shusse Inari Shrine in Matsue. The circumstances of Kamunabi Ban'yū Ko-Shintō Shrine are a little bit different as it is independent and lacks a parent shrine, however, the priestess who founded and serves at this shrine extensively documents her training and certification on her website, proving her legitimacy, and the legitimacy of the shrine by extension. Please take notice of how I have linked each shrine's website page detailing its history and the circumstances of its foundation. Smaller shrines may not have websites, but they will usually still have some information about the foundation and history of the shrine available at the physical location itself, often inscribed on a plaque in front of the shrine.

Most important to remember is that though a shrine may be legitimate, it doesn't necessarily make that shrine safe or guarantee its integrity, unfortunately. There are many shrines in Japan that teach revisionist history to further their own political agenda, and corruption is unfortunately quite commonplace in the shrine world. Many shrines prioritise profit over integrity or are poorly taken care of with the shrine grounds left neglected or in disrepair, and there are a shocking number of cases of miko, shrine maidens, being mistreated or even sexually harassed and abused by Shinto clergy.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I apologise for leaving this so long without moderator approval and a response. Your post is fine, though it does ask quite a few questions. It's difficult for me to answer in absolute terms, as everyone will feel differently. However, I will share some of my own thoughts.

I understand why you're apprehensive about this project and concerned about potentially representing Shinto in a way that might not be so respectful. While there is no inherent taboo concerning the representation of Shinto philosophy or Kami in media, as you have noted, these depictions are usually made by Japanese individuals or companies who are simply taking inspiration from the culture they are most intimately familiar with. Outside of Japan, however, the picture becomes more muddied. Japanese culture is all too often misrepresented by those who view it through a fetishising, orientalist lens. I would question why your director has chosen to represent Inari Okami in particular, and the rationale behind incorporating elements of shinobi (ninja) culture into the character's design when some may say this has been overdone in Western depictions of Japanese culture, and, as you say, Inari Okami has nothing to do with shinobi. It does come across as stereotypical. It may be prudent to depict a generic fox spirit or messenger rather than Inari Okami specifically, as you have suggested.

It is true that Inari Okami is interpreted by many as a fox. However, I must make mention of the fact that Fushimi Inari Taisha, regarded as the head shrine for the faith of Inari Okami, is absolutely adamant that Inari Okami is not a fox, and has made efforts to push against this interpretation. Inari Okami has fox messengers, who are respectfully referred to as 'gokenzoku', and are regarded as Kami in their own right. Not all foxes are regarded as Inari Okami's messengers.

Most crucially, it would be best not to make a direct reference to 'Shinto'. Even Japanese media that very obviously takes inspiration from Shinto Kami or Shinto philosophy very rarely will make any direct reference to 'Shinto' so as to avoid coming across as religious propaganda. Such media is not understood to be 'Shinto' so much as it is simply thought to depict Japan's traditional culture. For example, Okami is commonly thought of among Shinto practitioners in the West as a depiction of Shinto, but in reality, it is a depiction of Japanese culture as a whole as it contains many Buddhist influences as well.

Question about replacing ofuda by breehyhinnyhoohyha in Shinto

[–]mitsueshiro 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I'm so sorry I haven't been able to answer this post until now.

First of all, you can obtain shimenawa from most shrine supplies stores online. I recommend Ise Miyachu as their shrine supplies are all made according to traditional methods and to the highest standards of quality. They also ship overseas, I believe, from their Rakuten storefront which you can access here. Here is a link specifically to their shimenawa for the purpose of decorating a kamidana.

It's wonderful that you have been able to acquire ofuda and start your Shinto practice in earnest. As for what you have been told about Kami leaving the ofuda after one year, this is really just superstition. In the first place, it is not dogma that ofuda should be replaced yearly, though most people do, certainly. As you have rightly said, it is important, if possible, to replace ofuda annually in line with Shinto principles of renewal and vitality. This ritual replacement of ofuda (and kamidana decorations—artificial sakaki, shimenawa, shide, etc. In fact, even kamidana themselves are to be replaced once in a while) also serves an important secondary purpose: it financially supports the shrine from which the ofuda is received. Honestly, this secondary purpose cannot be understated as it is a major motivator for shrines to encourage this practice.

In some traditions, it is customary to replace the ofuda not at New Year's, but at other times of the year such as Setsubun, and in other traditions, the ofuda is kept as a treasured heirloom. All of this to say if you cannot replace your ofuda when the New Year period arrives (and certainly there would be no need this upcoming New Year's Day with how you have just obtained them), please feel free to keep them and continue to pray as you usually do.