Beliefs of
Shintoism
The origin of the word "shinto" means "way of the kami." Therefore, Shinto beliefs focus on the existence and power of the kami, or gods, that exist in the world, in nature, and especially in and throughout Japan.
These sensibilities undergrid much of what is focused on in Japanese thought and artistic expression - things such as nature, harmony, balance - and their particular expression in practical and decorative arts such as flower arranging, architecture, landscape design, the tea ceremony and elsewhere.
Makoto & Kannagara-no-michi
Shinto beliefs, then, are not centered around official creeds or codified systems of theology or ethics, but instead are a distinct sensibility that underlies an entire approach to life and the world. This can be captured not only with the phrase mono no aware, but also with the concepts of makotoand kannagara-no-michi.
Makoto simply means "sincerity" and it is the basis of Shinto ethics. This religion is sometimes criticized by those who don't understand it for having no official list of rules or codes of ethics, such as the Ten Commandments. Instead, Shinto emphasizes makoto - sincerity in the heart.
Practices
Yutate
This ritual involves a priest dipping the branch of a sakaki tree into a cauldron of hot water. The priest then waves the branch over the heads of those who gather and says a prayer called
Norito, it is then followed by a ritual dance. It is a process leading to the purification of the water. A girl or woman takes a wooden bowl and gathers the air above the cauldron inviting the kami (spirits) into it. Afterwards, the people drink from the cauldron, receiving the purified water, which allows them to be purified as well.
The Great Purification
This ritual symbolically recreates the act of purification that lead to the birth of three deities, those three deities are Susano-o, Tsuki-Yomi and Amaterasu. It happens twice a year, once in New Year’s Festival and Beginning of summer. At the time of the ritual, the priest recites the great purification norito while waving a purification wand over the people who worship. It is said that each word of the noritohave its own kami. Being precise is high value if the purification ritual is to be successful. It is said the rhythm of the prayer, to wash away the impurities within people and is the key to the event.