🌾 4. Shinto Rituals: Connecting with the Divine
Shinto, Japan’s indigenous religion, plays a vital role in the country’s traditions and rituals. Rooted in animism, Shinto rituals aim to honor kami—spirits believed to inhabit natural elements like mountains, rivers, and trees. These rituals are performed at Shinto shrines, where priests dressed in traditional garments conduct purification ceremonies, offerings, and prayers.
Common practices include misogi (water purification), shubatsu (ritual cleansing with salt), and omikuji (fortune-telling paper slips). Festivals (matsuri) often involve processions with portable shrines (mikoshi), traditional dances (kagura), and sacred music. Shinto rituals emphasize gratitude, purity, and the harmonious relationship between humans and nature, reflecting the spiritual heart of Japanese culture.