The Shinto Religion - Essay Example

It is believed that there are certain places considered sacred spaces where the kami communicate with people.  These places are usually located near waterfalls, trees and mountains, rivers, and other unusual natural formations.  In these places, shrines are built to house the kami where the sacred space separates them from the ordinary world.  Sacred spaces also exist in the homes where the kamidana or home shrine is designated.  The shrine and the home shrine are therefore treated with the utmost respect, and this is evident in the architecture of the edifice. 

            A large gate called tori, with a distinctive design fronts kami shrines, exhibits two upright bars and two crossbars that indicate the separation of the sacred from the common space.  Aside from this several real and symbolic barriers mark the sacred space, such as statutes of protection, ropes, and fences.  The shrines have distinctive parts such as the public hall of worship (Hayden), the hall of offerings (Heiden), and the innermost portion which comprises the worship hall reserved for the high priest (London).  It is in the honed where the symbol of the enshrined kami is situated.

Nelson, J (1996)  A Year in the Life of a Shinto Shrine. University of Washington Press.

Nute, K (2004)  Place, Time and Being in Japanese Architecture. New York: Routledge

Sokyo, O (1962). Shinto: The Kami Way. Rutland, VT: Charles E Tuttle Co.

Video Review

Scrolls and Screens

http://it.spcollege.edu/flashapplications/accessibleYouTubePlayer/index.htm?swfWidth=480&swfHeight=358&videoWidth=480&videoHeight=270&srtFile=http://it.spcollege.edu/srt/HUM2270_KevinMorgan/Hum2270_Mod6_EarlJapArtCult_TradJapArch.srt&youtubeURL=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVnQvhS4vRs

The video chosen for review describes how Japanese dwellings are constructed.  It is interesting to note that the traditional Japanese home is constructed of wood and light materials and seldom has solid walls.  There are also no permanent partitions, only temporary dividers, typically free-standing folding screens made of paper that are set up when the need to segregate spaces arises. Occasionally, there are also sliding doors that are installed along wooden tracks along the floor. The open space in the home is interrupted only by the posts that hold up the structure. The construction is excellent for keeping the structure light and airy while allowing for large spaces where many people may gather together.

            The folding screens and sliding doors that make up the interior dividers are comprised of wide paper panels mounted on light wooden frames.  The paper panels are ideal for painting delicate Japanese scenery and objects that often depict the use of the particular room to which they lead.  The paintings may sometimes run from panel to panel to create the impression of one continuous work of art.

            What is striking about the traditional Japanese abode is its simplicity and utility.  Interior dimensions can be varied depending upon the need for space or relative privacy, and these internal dividers provide the medium for improving the aesthetic quality of the home.  Because of these elements of design, the Japanese home evinces tranquility and equanimity.  It is consistent with the deep spirituality not only of the Japanese but of the Asian cultures.

Comment on Reply

The comment of Natasha is well written, but I disagree that Buddhism was founded in Japan (according to the post, during the middle sixth century).  Buddhism was established in northeastern India during the fifth century before the current era (B.C.E), by Siddhartha Gautama.  Buddhism holds more similarities to Hinduism than it does to Shintoism.  Buddhism centers its explanation more on the worldly temporal happenings, while Buddhism provides more explanations for the after-life (or after-death) phenomena.  That being said, the reply is correct in its observation that both Shintoism and Buddhism are accepted in Japan and the followers of each religion prosper peacefully with each other, because of attributes shared by both.