Kami-no-Michi or the ‘Way of the Gods’

Shinto is a journey not a destination, and Japanese shrines are like support stations along life’s path.

Kirishima-jingu in Kagoshima prefecture, where Ninigi-no-Mikoto, the grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu, descended from heaven, bringing with him the regalia of Japan — the imperial sword, mirror and jewel. [Image: JH]

Anyone who visits Japan will undoubtedly find time to visit one of its many shrines. No one leaves disappointed. Their beauty and serenity are the epitome of Japanese culture.

As a foreigner, it can be a rather perplexing matter figuring out what’s what at a jinja. What are shrines used for? How does one respectfully visit a shrine? Are there special guidelines I should know about? Will I be welcome if I’m not a Shinto follower?

Even the people of Japan have a hard time finding answers to some of these questions.

To make matters worse, the country’s many temples intermingle with these shrines, often with no clear separation of the two. Temples with lion-dog komainu statues, and shrines with bodhisattvas are a common sight. But once you know their purpose, it’s easy to separate temples from shrines: temples are Buddhist prayer halls; shrines are protective structures for Shinto deities.

The people of Japan refer to Shinto as kami no michi, which can be translated as the “way of the gods”. Shinto has remarkably few trappings that mark other religions: no commandments, no sermons, no proselytizing, no…