It seems to me that essentially they are all the same, the vector for the sacred symbols of Shinto: the offerings which start out as simply pieces of paper become sacred as a result of their use as symbols. When they are in their zig-zag form, the form which is usually given to shri...
by way of the Silk Road, intertwining with the indigenous Shinto to create a complex system of spirituality, ritual and ancestor worship. The two religions, separated by an official act in the mid-1860s (although not entirely in practice), have had lasting effects on everything from Japanese...
Sumo (相撲, sumō) is a Japanese style of wrestling and Japan's national sport. It originated inancient timesas a performance to entertain theShinto deities. Many rituals with religious background, such as the symbolic purification of the ring with salt, are still followed today. In line with...
Confucianist concepts still serve as an important focus of calligraphic practice in China and Japan. Even today, numerous artists in both nations pursue calligraphy as their main profession. Their art is often focused on the key terms appearing in the Confucian classics (see slideshow above). Calli...
In fact,many Japanese rulers had banned the rearing of cattle and consumption of meat, because they couldn’t afford to lose more forest areas to practice animal agriculture. I laterread that in January 1872, an emperor called Meiji ate meat publicly for the first time, encouraging the rest ...
In Japan, the earliest unambiguous reference to a paper model is in a short poem by Ihara Saikaku in 1680 which describes paper butterflies in a dream. Origami butterflies were used during the celebration of Shinto weddings to represent the bride and groom, so paperfolding had already become ...
The traditional practice for the Chinese New Year is to light firecrackers and fireworks and burn bamboo sticks to scare away evil spirits. Red lanterns are displayed on the door frames and along the roads to light up the atmosphere. Windows and doors of the houses are decorated with red pape...
In Japan Buddhism was and is used to support male dominance. Their native animistic, goddess-oriented spirituality, Shinto, was used to justify World War II aggression against Korea and China (maybe Thailand, too). The horrors equaled some of those perpetrated in the name of Christ. ...
too. Knowing that I am not alone continues to diminish my stress: We are in this together. As a result, through the practice of behaviors informed by ukeireru, the feelings of despair and helplessness, the hallmarks of stress, are diminished. That creates calm and focus needed to address...
new year is auspicious so people look for a high or attractive vantage point to see the sun make its first appearance and the Shinto Shrines are always busy and full of energy over those first few days as everyone makes their important first visit of the year. Contributed by2 Aussie ...