| Gongen-zukuri |
" style'. A style of shrine architecture which features extensive lacquer work and ornate carvings. The main shrine buildings are laid out in the shape of an 'H'. It is common in shrines closely associated with esoteric Buddhist centres and became popular after it was used for the 1636 Tosho-gu mausoleum of the gongen Tokugawa, Ieyasu at Nikko. Gongen-zukuri is used as a general term for styles incorporating gongen features. See |
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| Toka ebisu |
"10th day Ebisu' matsuri. A festival held at the Ebisu-jinja in Osaka and at other Ebisu shrines. The main part, hon-ebisu is on the tenth day of the new year, with a preceding part, the 'yoi ebisu' on 9th January and the concluding "nokorifuku" on 11th. The festival features a parade of kago or palanquins bearing geisha. Participants in the festival shout 'shobai hanjo de sasa motte" ('bring us the sasa leaves that give business prosperity') as they receive from officiants a lucky decoration made of bamboo grass |
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| O-tabisho |
"A place on a journey'. A sacred piece of ground, sometimes with a temporary shrine building constructed with appropriate rites which serves as the temporary resting-place for the kami who travels out of the main shrine in a Most often the otabisho is the place where the kami resides during a festival (matsuri) Although the main shrine is normally seen as the "home" of the kami, it is thought that the shrine building may originally have been simply the storage place for the mikoshi while the otabisho was the main ceremonial centre for rites to the kami. During the On-matsuri of the jinja for example the otabisho is at a central place equidistant from the main Buddhist temple and shrine which formed the pre- Meiji jisha complex of Kasuga Daimyojin |
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| Shinzen kekkon |
"A wedding before the kami'. A Shinto wedding. Shinto weddings involving a shrine priest or shrine visit are a relatively recent tradition. Buddhism has never regarded marriage as a religious sacrament and Japanese marriage ceremonies were traditionally performed in the home. The custom of involving a shrine priest spread in the period with the permeation of official 'state shinto' (kokka shinto) into civic life. Some weddings are still held as in the past in large country houses before the or senzodan (ancestor-shelf) without priestly involvement. In contemporary Japan most weddings (about 63%) are Shinto-style, while about 30% are Christian-style (some are Christian and Shinto, in sequence) while 2% are Buddhist and the rest secular or perhaps according to the rites of one of the new religions if the families are members. Most weddings are held in commercial wedding halls, hotels or at shrines, some of which now have a gishiki-den specially built for wedding ceremonies. The modern Shinto-type ceremony is based on the wedding in 1900 of the crown prince who became the Taisho emperor, the first wedding to be held in a Shinto shrine. Wedding ceremonies symbolise a transition into the married state. The traditional and largely Confucian values underpinning the lifetime marriage relationship, which is regarded as a very serious commitment between two families rather than, or as well as, a matter for two individuals, have evolved in Japan independently of sectarian religious affiliations. In a classical tract on the duties of women, the Onna Daigaku ('Great Learning' for women) the 17th century moralist Kaibara, Ekken set out the traditional orthodoxy, emphasising the duty of submission of the new wife as she "returned" to live in the home her husband's parents. Some of the new religions today emphasise a very "traditional" view of marriage, placing responsibility for the success of the union almost entirely on the wife. The commitment between families is symbolised in the central act of a Japanese wedding, the sharing of cups of between the bride and groom and afterwards between each of them and the other's parents. The two families then drink together. Other more "Western" rites such as an exchange of rings and the reading of marriage vows (but by the groom only) may be performed. Weddings are held on auspicious days determined by calendrical calculations deriving from popular Taoism. They offer a chance for families to assert their status and aspirations for the newly married couple through displays of wealth (the average marriage in Japan costs about Ј50,000) so the provision of impressive weddings is an important source of income for Shinto and some Christian institutions in Japan |
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| Saigu |
"Abstinence Palace'. It refers to the residence and person of the virgin priestess despatched to the Ise shrine to perform rites on behalf of the emperor. The institution of saigu lasted from at least the period to the fourteenth century, after which it died out (see Ise Jingu) to be revived in the modified form of after the restoration. When a new emperor succeeded to the throne (a frequent occurrence since emperors were often appointed young and "retired" before reaching adulthood) a girl as young as five would be selected by divination. After two years seclusion and abstinence (i.e. avoidance of taboos) at the palace she would make a ritual journey to Ise and remain there in the compound called saigu, attended by priests, maids-in-waiting and servants and observing the imperial rites, with the exception of Buddhist ceremonies. Buddhist words as well as words like blood, sweat, meat, grave and cry were taboo—imi-kotoba She emerged only three times a year to worship at the Ise shrines. On the death or retirement of the emperor or the death of her mother she returned to the ordinary life of the capital and usually married. The formal instructions for her preparation and journey are given in the Engi-shiki and other documents. The saigu represented an inviolable symbol of imperial authority which to some extent substituted for and in other ways reinforced imperial power. Her virginal "purity" and strict enactment of court rites were reinforced by taboos not against Taoism or but against Buddhism, the religion of the real world and the bustling capital. See also |
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| Oku-mai |
"Abundant rice'. A name for raw rice, used universally in Shinto rites. Rice was traditionally a food only for the wealthy so rice offered to the kami represented the best the community could provide. Oku-mai also refers to the description of Japan in the myths as mizuho no kuni 'land of abundant rice" |
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| Sokui kanjo |
"Accession ordination" a Buddhist ceremony, similar to taking the tonsure, carried out by all new Emperors as part of the accession rites prior to the restoration |
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| Shinbutsu shugo |
"Amalgamation of Buddhas and kami'. A rather vague term applied to the syncretism or synthesis of Buddhism with local religious practices from the Nara period onwards. In line with its assimilative philosophy Buddhism adopted local spirits as "protectors" of Buddhism, including them in Buddhist rites and soon identifying them as devas or 'trace manifestations'; avatars or local incarnations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas (see e.g. Hachiman, Tenno) Shinbutsu shugo suggests a rather unconscious syncretism between two pre-existing traditions and is often contrasted with specific schools of combinatory thought such as shinto and sanno-ichijitsu-shinto and the theory of from which, some Shintoists believe, an ancient and indigenous Shinto later freed itself. However the amalgamation or assimilation of local or imported kami with Buddhist divinities was often deliberate and detailed, and is consistent with the pattern of religious syncretism characteristic of the Buddhist tradition throughout South and East Asia. Adoption as Buddhist objects of worship and identification with eminent Buddhist divinities was the means by which local kami eventually achieved a relatively high spiritual status within the Japanese world-view. See bunri |
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| Funadama matsuri |
"Boat festival" held on August 15 at the Hodosan jinja, Saitama. It dates from the Tokugawa period when travellers by raft from Chichibu to Edo prayed for safe passage on the Arakawa river |
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| Massha |
"Branch shrine'. Like a minor shrine which is a "branch" of another shrine within a host shrine's precincts. See under |
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| Myojin |
"Bright kami'; divinity. Often daimyojin 'great divinity" (see e.g. Kasuga) One of the shrine ranks bestowed by the before the period. The term generally indicates a combined Buddha or and kami |
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| Kokutai no hongi |
"Cardinal Principles of the National Entity'. An ethics textbook for schools and universities published in 1937 for the Ministry of Education which set out the principles of the emperor system, focusing on the notion of the or 'national entity' and incorporating ideas from the Imperial Rescript on Education (kyoiku chokugo) of 1890. It may be taken as representative of the ideology of what is called 'state shinto' (see Kokka Shinto) Sections of the text were included in other ethics textbooks and pupils and teachers were required to read and discuss its contents. The teachings of religious groups were tested against the principles set out in Kokutai no Hongi. The first section 'The National Entity of Japan' recounts as history the mythological origins of the Japanese nation and the sacred ancestry of the emperor, drawing directly on the and accounts popularised by thinkers since the late Tokugawa period. Other themes include the virtues of the emperor, the unity of rites, administration and education and the emperor's love for his people. Under 'The Way of the Subjects' patriotism and the unity of loyalty and filial piety are extolled. A chapter on harmony between God and man compares the fragmented situation in the West with that of Japan. The martial spirit, musubi and the oneness of sovereign and subjects are explained. In part two 'The Manifestation of our National Entity in History" a description is given of the many ways in which the noble characteristics of the Japanese have been manifested at different periods of history and through different religious traditions, all of which are shown to esteem selfless devotion. The work concludes with a comparison of Western and Eastern ideologies which criticizes the individualism of Western thought and shows how only those ideas are acceptable which accord with the national entity. There is an English translation of the Kokutai no Hongi by John Owen Gauntlett |
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| Kodomo-no-hi |
"Children's Day' or Boy's Day. A boys' counterpart to the girls" It takes place every year on the third the 5th day of the 5th month (May) and features displays of model samurai armour and helmets as well as gogatsu ningyo |
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| Hare-no-hi |
"Clear" days. The four days in each month on which festivals could be held according to the lunar calendar. These are the days of the new, full and half-moons, i.e. the 1st, 7th or 8th, 15th, and 22nd or 23rd. Other days are known as ke-no-hi and were seldom used for festivals. After the solar calendar was adopted in 1872 many festivals were re-scheduled, regardless of the hare/ke distinction, though local festivals often still keep to the lunar calendar. See gyoji |
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| Ke-no-hi |
"Clear" days. The four days in each month on which festivals could be held according to the lunar calendar. These are the days of the new, full and half-moons, i.e. the 1st, 7th or 8th, 15th, and 22nd or 23rd. Other days are known as ke-no-hi and were seldom used for festivals. After the solar calendar was adopted in 1872 many festivals were re-scheduled, regardless of the hare/ke distinction, though local festivals often still keep to the lunar calendar. See gyoji |
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| Man'yoshu |
"Collection of a Myriad Leaves'. The earliest anthology of Japanese verse, edited around 770 and containing four and a half thousand examples of poetry dating from approximately 645-759. The verses range from court poetry written for state occasions by the Otomo clan (see Kotodama) to folk verse. The period covered by the poems in the Man'yoshu saw substantial changes at court, as Chinese, including Buddhist, influence penetrated all areas of life. Four types or "periods" of poems have been discerned in the anthology. The first is reflected in poems by female court poets (o'una) the second in verses by male court reciters (kataribe) the third in verses related to themes beyond the court and the fourth in poems by new sacred specialists including Buddhists and shrine priests. The Man'yoshu is especially valued for its "Japaneseness" by Shinto commentators, including the pioneer scholar no Mabuchi (1697-1769) who believed that the true Japanese spirit of spontaneity was corrupted in all Japanese literature subsequent to the Man'yoshu |
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| Suiga shinto |
"Conferment of benefits Shinto" or 'Descent of divine blessing Shinto'. A Neo-Confucian, anti-Buddhist school of thought and Shinto lineage founded by Yamazaki, Ansai (1616—1682) Suiga shinto combined two main influences. First were the teachings of Chu Hsi (Shushi) as interpreted by Fujiwara, Seiki (1561—1619) and Hayashi, Razan (1583—1657) which gave the ruler-subject relationship precedence over father-son filial piety. Yamazaki identified the ruler as the emperor and emphasised the divinity of the land of Japan, thereby adapting Confucianism to serve Japanese social and political values in the Tokugawa period. Second, in later life Yamazaki was drawn to religious devotion to the kami, particularly Amaterasu worshipped under the name of Ohirumemuchi, from whom flowed all divine blessings (suiga) Special emphasis was given to the as a source of authority and the principle of scrupulous propriety in the execution of service to kami or superiors. Yamazaki's complex system of metaphysical thought tried to assimilate Chinese cosmology with Japanese mythology, sacralising the structure of Tokugawa society. His own summary of his teachings was 'devotion within, righteousness without'. Followers regarded Yamazaki as a kami. As a form of Shinto, suiga shinto was distinctive for its attempt to combine reverence for the Japanese emperor with veneration of the kami. It is therefore one of the sources for and fukko shinto, though Motoori, Norinaga rejected Yamazaki's thought as being too close to Neo-Confucianism. See |
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| Suika shinto |
"Conferment of benefits Shinto" or 'Descent of divine blessing Shinto'. A Neo-Confucian, anti-Buddhist school of thought and Shinto lineage founded by Yamazaki, Ansai (1616—1682) Suiga shinto combined two main influences. First were the teachings of Chu Hsi (Shushi) as interpreted by Fujiwara, Seiki (1561—1619) and Hayashi, Razan (1583—1657) which gave the ruler-subject relationship precedence over father-son filial piety. Yamazaki identified the ruler as the emperor and emphasised the divinity of the land of Japan, thereby adapting Confucianism to serve Japanese social and political values in the Tokugawa period. Second, in later life Yamazaki was drawn to religious devotion to the kami, particularly Amaterasu worshipped under the name of Ohirumemuchi, from whom flowed all divine blessings (suiga) Special emphasis was given to the as a source of authority and the principle of scrupulous propriety in the execution of service to kami or superiors. Yamazaki's complex system of metaphysical thought tried to assimilate Chinese cosmology with Japanese mythology, sacralising the structure of Tokugawa society. His own summary of his teachings was 'devotion within, righteousness without'. Followers regarded Yamazaki as a kami. As a form of Shinto, suiga shinto was distinctive for its attempt to combine reverence for the Japanese emperor with veneration of the kami. It is therefore one of the sources for and fukko shinto, though Motoori, Norinaga rejected Yamazaki's thought as being too close to Neo-Confucianism. See |
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| Jingihaku |
"Councillor of Divinities" an office of the Imperial court traditionally occupied by the and Shirakawa houses who were authorised to appoint shrines and priests to ranks in return for contributions. This vital prerogative was lost to the new in 1868 but the title of Jingihaku was retained by the priestly families with control of a palace cult of the imperial tutelary deities |
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| Kuroki |
"Dark (kuro) sake'. "Ki" is the old name for and sake is known on ritual occasions as (o) mi-ki. Shiroki and kuroki (light and dark sake) are special kinds of sake offered as at the niinamesai (autumn festival) including those occasions when the niinamesai is a or accession ceremony for the new emperor. Dark and light sake have also traditionally been interpreted as refined and unrefined sake, however instructions for making these offerings are found in the Engi-Shiki, where light sake is natural sake and dark sake is made by mixing ashes of kusagi |
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