"Shinto architecture is the architecture of Japanese Shinto shrines."
An exploration of the role shrines and temples play in Shintoism, their architecture, and the rituals and customs associated with them.
History of Shintoism: This includes the origins, development and growth of Shintoism. The history of Shintoism is deeply intertwined with the history of Japan.
Types of Shrines and Temples: This includes the different types of Shrines and Temples that exist in Shintoism. These can vary widely in size, shape and purpose.
Architecture of Shrines and Temples: This includes the unique architectural elements of Shrines and Temples that are specific to Shintoism. Some examples include torii gates, shimenawa and komainu.
Deities and Spirits: This includes the different deities and spirits that are worshipped in Shintoism. These range from nature spirits to guardian deities of specific regions.
Shinto Festivals: This includes the different festivals that are celebrated in Shintoism throughout the year. Some festivals are regional while others are national.
Rituals and Ceremonies: This includes the various rituals and ceremonies that are conducted at Shrines and Temples in Shintoism. These can include offerings, purification rituals and prayers.
Shinto Ethics: This includes the ethical principles that guide Shinto beliefs and practices. This can include reverence for nature and respect for ancestors.
Shinto and Buddhism: This includes the relationship between Shintoism and Buddhism in Japan. While they are two distinct religions, they have been deeply intertwined throughout history.
Shinto Art and Culture: This includes the various forms of art and culture that have developed as a result of Shintoism. This can include painting, sculpture, music and dance.
Shinto Today: This includes the current state of Shintoism in Japan and around the world. This can include issues related to modernization and changing social norms.
Jinja: The most common type of Shinto shrine, which houses the Kami, or Shinto deities.
Taisha: A grand shrine that is dedicated to a major deity.
Gongen: A type of shrine that enshrines a Buddhist deity who is worshipped in the Shinto tradition.
Myojin: A type of shrine dedicated to a powerful Kami or Myojin, who are believed to protect communities, regions, or natural resources.
Inari: Shrines dedicated to Inari, the Kami of rice, agriculture, and commerce.
Tenmangu: Shrines dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, a scholar and poet who is worshipped as the Kami of learning and intelligence.
Sumiyoshi: Shrines dedicated to the Sumiyoshi Kami, who are believed to protect seafarers and fishermen.
Hachiman: Shrines dedicated to the Kami of war, Hachiman.
Izumo: Shrines dedicated to the Kami of Izumo, who are said to gather once a year (in October) for a grand meeting.
Tsubaki: Shrines dedicated to Tsubaki, the Kami of blossoming camellias.
Toyokuni: Shrines that are dedicated to Toyokuni, the Kami of arts and crafts.
Sengen: Shrines dedicated to the Kami of Mount Fuji.
Katori: Shrines dedicated to Katori, the Kami of swordsmanship.
Kumano: Shrines located in the Kumano region, where the Kumano Sanzan, a group of three important shrines, are located. They are dedicated to the Kumano Sanzan deities.
Yasaka: Shrines dedicated to the Yasaka Kami, who are believed to protect against disasters, plagues, and epidemics.
Shichifukujin: Shrines that enshrine the seven deities of good fortune.
Shinmei: Shrines dedicated to the Kami of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries.
Kitano: Shrines dedicated to Kitano Tenjin, the Kami of scholarship.
Daijingu: Shrines dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the Sun Goddess.
Tamayori: Shrines that are dedicated to the Tamayori Kami, who are believed to protect families and households.
"stone lanterns and elaborate gates are some which are used both in a Shinto shrine and a Buddhist temple."
"they usually are surrounded by a fence made of stone or wood called tamagaki."
"access is made possible by an approach called sandō."
"The entrances themselves are straddled by gates called torii, which are therefore the simplest way to identify a Shinto shrine."
"A shrine may include within its grounds several structures, each destined to a different purpose."
"The honden is the building that contains the shintai, literally, 'the sacred body of the kami'."
"Of these, only the haiden is open to the laity."
"the temizuya, the fountain where visitors cleanse their hands and mouth."
"the shamusho (社務所), the office that supervises the shrine."
"Shrines can be very large, as for example Ise Shrine, or as small as a beehive, as in the case of the hokora, small shrines frequently found on road sides."
"Before the forced separation of Shinto and Buddhism (Shinbutsu bunri), it was not uncommon for a Buddhist temple to be built inside or next to a shrine or to the contrary for a shrine to include Buddhist subtemples (Shinbutsu shūgō)."
"If a shrine was also a Buddhist temple, it was called a jingu-ji."
"temples in the entire country adopted tutelary kami (chinju (鎮守/鎮主) and built temple shrines called chinjusha to house them."
"After the forcible separation of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines (shinbutsu bunri) ordered by the new government in the Meiji period, the connection between the two religions was officially severed."