The Influence of Shinto on Nationalism in Modern Japan

The Influence of Shinto on Nationalism in Modern Japan

Shinto ("神道") is one of the formal state religions of Japan, the roots of which can be traced back to 660 BC. It’s the most commonly practiced religious belief in contemporary East Asia, however, only a few people who practice Shinto rituals and attend Shinto shrines formally identify themselves as “Shintoists” (Breen, 1). Unlike majority of the Western religions, Shinto has no founder, no official sacred texts, and no centralized system of doctrines. It tells us very little about what takes place in the afterlife, asking us instead to focus on improving our present. Shinto believes have played a vital role in bolstering the appreciation of all perishable things and simple aesthetic beauty, a distinct Japanese trait. Belief in kami—divine spirits—is one of the foundations of Shinto. Shinto teaches us that kami don’t just occupy the spiritual realm, but can also be encountered throughout the nature: within snow-covered mountains, forests, streams, and even Japan itself. Central to Shinto is the idea that its practitioners are supposed to live in harmony with the nature as well as one another. This has enabled Shinto to exist in harmony with other religious traditions, such as Buddhism, which is the second most practiced religion in Japan. Standing in the epicenter of Japanese culture, Shinto also plays an important role in Japanese political affairs.

Shinto legends tell us that Japan archipelago was created by two kami gods, Izanagi and Izanami. Kami goddess Amaterasu–commonly referred to as the Sun Goddess–issued a heavenly mandate granting the imperial family of Japan, her direct descendants, the right to rule over the archipelago. While for centuries these stories remained simply a part of a vast number of Japanese folklore tales, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Shinto was reconstructed to fit the new ultra-nationalistic and totalitarian agenda of the Japanese government.

In 1868, Shinto...