Definition

Noun: * Shintoism: The ancient, indigenous religion of Japan. It is characterized by the worship of kami (spirits believed to inhabit natural phenomena, ancestors, and historical figures) and emphasizes ritual purity, tradition, and harmony with nature. It lacks a formal, centralized dogma or a single sacred scripture.

Usage

• Shintoism is primarily used as a proper noun to name the specific religious tradition of Japan.
• It is often discussed in contrast to or in coexistence with Buddhism, which was imported to Japan.
• It can be used in academic, historical, and religious contexts.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Many Japanese people practice both Shintoism and Buddhism.
  • The rituals of Shintoism are deeply connected to the cycles of nature and the seasons.
  • A core concept in Shintoism is the veneration of kami.

Advanced Usage

• "State Shinto": Refers to the government-sponsored form of Shintoism that was used to promote nationalism and emperor worship in Japan from the Meiji period until the end of World War II.
  • The shrine was a central institution of State Shinto.

Variants and Related Words

• Shinto (n., adj.): The more common and often preferred term for Shintoism. It can be used as a noun ("the Shinto religion") or an adjective ("a Shinto shrine").
• Shintoist (n.): A follower or practitioner of Shinto.
  • As a Shintoist, she visits the shrine every New Year.
• Shintoistic (adj.): Relating to or characteristic of Shinto.
  • The ceremony had a Shintoistic feel to it.

Synonyms

• Kami-no-michi: This is the Japanese term for Shinto, meaning "the way of the kami." It is a direct synonym.
• Indigenous Japanese religion: A descriptive synonym.

Antonyms

• Monotheism: Shintoism is polytheistic/animistic, in contrast to religions with a single god.
• Dogmatic religion: Shintoism is non-dogmatic, unlike religions with strict, formal doctrines.

Noun

1. the ancient indigenous religion of Japan lacking formal dogma; characterized by a veneration of nature spirits and of ancestors