Green Shinto has carried many reports about how shrines act as the custodians of tradition, while at the same time trying to appeal to a younger generation with anime, manga, New Age power spots and other gimmicks. However, news from … Read the rest
Category: Social values (Page 2 of 5)
Japan Today ran an article on Japanese characteristics as seen by foreigners, which was notable for being strikingly positive. It helps explain why living and travelling in Japan is such a joy. Everyday interactions are unfailingly polite and pleasant, while … Read the rest
News comes today of the resounding re-election of prime minister Abe Shinzo, a self-declared nationalist. He and his supporters, who include both conservatives and those on the far right, promote what are called ‘Shinto values’ in a nostalgic wish to … Read the rest
Since Shinto is promoted as a nature religion, one might presume that green issues would be uppermost in its social thinking. However, this is often far from the case, as traditional interests and political support for right-wing nationalism take priority. … Read the rest
You wouldn’t think litter has much to do with Shinto. Indeed you might suppose a religion based on purity would lead to a culture that is vehemently opposed to littering. And so it seems to the hundreds of thousands … Read the rest
Japanese have exquisite manners, and respect is extended not just to people but to objects. Swords for example are particularly revered, for they are thought to contain spirits, but there are many other occasions where objects are treated with a … Read the rest
There is a long article on a website entitled Hemp Culture in Japan by David Olsen, which covers the plant’s many connections with traditional culture. Though the author is evidently not an expert on Shinto, he does make reference to … Read the rest