The Shinto Faith Statement on Nature 

Shinto or “Way of the Kami” is the indigenous religion of Japan. The kami, “deities” or “gods” in English, are spiritual beings who have existed since the beginning of the universe. “Shinto” means to live in harmony with the kami. There are kami of Heaven, of Earth, and myriad other spiritual beings, including ancestors. Human beings, as well as all of nature, are the children and descendants of the kami, and thus we all have divinity within us. We can access this inner radiance and establish harmony through practices of purification, which include keeping the outer environment free from pollution. In Shinto, great importance is given to purity, sincerity, harmony, and gratitude. In earthly nature, the kami include rain, wind, thunder, rivers, the ocean, and the power of growth and fertility. Kami are felt to be present in things that inspire awe and wonder, such as sacred mountains like Mount Fuji, waterfalls, certain caves and rocks, and great aged trees. 

 

The Shinto Faith Statement on Nature 

In the beginning of the universe there appeared various Kami, or deities, from the chaos. A pair of male and female deities appeared at the end and gave birth first to the islands, their natural environment, and then to several more deities who became ancestors of the Japanese. The ancient Japanese considered that all things of this world have their own spirituality, as they were born from the divine couple. Therefore, the relationship between the natural environment of this world and people is that of blood kin, like the bond between brother and sister. Shinto regards that the land, its nature, and all creatures including humans are children of Kami. Accordingly, all things existing on this earth have the possibility of becoming Kami. An agricultural society based on rice cultivation like that of Japan cannot exist without unification and harmony among all things on this earth: mountains, rivers, the sun, rain, animals, and plants, not to mention cooperation among people…This gave rise to the spirit of revering various Kami, the land, nature, people, and, on top of that, the spirit of appreciation of harmony among all these aspects of Nature. Environmental issues depend on our self-awareness of the problems and our determination to take responsibility… Shinto suggests that we should shift our point of view and look at our environment with the spirit of “reverence and gratitude,” that is, with the spirit of parental care for children or with the spirit of brotherhood.  

~ Prepared by the Jinja Honcho, the representative body of all Shinto Shrines in Japan.

Meet the Reader: Ken Kitatani is the founder and director of the Forum 21 Institute.