The word Shintō (Japanese: 神道) , literally means kami-no-michi or “the way of kami” (generally sacred or divine power, specifically the various gods or deities), came into use in order to distinguish indigenous Japanese beliefs from Buddhism, which had been introduced into Japan in the 6th century CE. Shintō has no founder, no official sacred scriptures in the strict sense, and no fixed dogmas, but it has preserved its guiding beliefs throughout the ages.
In Shintō it is commonly said that “man is kami’s child.” First, this means that people are given life by kami and that their nature is therefore sacred. Second, it means that daily life is made possible by kami, and, accordingly, the personalities and lives of people are worthy of respect. Individuals must revere the basic human rights of everyone (regardless of race, nationality, and other distinctions) as well as their own. The concept of original sin is not found in Shintō. On the contrary, humanity is considered to have a primarily divine nature. In actuality, however, this sacred nature is seldom revealed in human beings. Purification is considered symbolically to remove the dust and impurities that cover one’s inner mind.
Our company follows Shintoism and believes that the definition of “path of the gods” is not complete. The path of good fits better.
We produce pieces that aim to help you find the paths of Shinto. As a result, you will soon discover that our pieces are neither jewelry nor eternal – they make you reflect on what is inside you.
By the time when the natural fibers of the items wear out you will have understood that what matters is not the talisman, but the strength of the energy you put into your goals.
Nature and varieties
Shinto is primarily found in Japan, where there are around 100,000 public shrines, although practitioners are also found abroad.
The link between the kami and the natural world has led to Shinto being considered animistic. It cultivates harmony between humans and kami and solicits the latter’s blessing.
Shinto places a major conceptual focus on ensuring purity, largely by cleaning practices such as ritual washing and bathing, especially before worship. Little emphasis is placed on specific moral codes or particular afterlife beliefs, although the dead are deemed capable of becoming kami.
Kami veneration has been traced back to Japan’s Yayoi period (300 BCE to 300 CE), although it has been suggested that the concept may be older than that. Buddhism entered Japan at the end of the Kofun period (300 to 538 CE) and spread rapidly. Religious syncretization made kami worship and Buddhism functionally inseparable, a process called shinbutsu-shūgō. The kami came to be viewed as part of Buddhist cosmology and were increasingly depicted anthropomorphically. In ensuing centuries, shinbutsu-shūgō was adopted by Japan’s Imperial household. During the Meiji era (1868 to 1912), Japan’s nationalist leadership expelled Buddhist influence from kami worship and formed State Shinto, which some historians regard as the origin of Shinto as a distinct religion. Shrines came under growing government influence, and citizens were encouraged to worship the emperor as a kami. With the formation of the Japanese Empire in the early 20th century, Shinto was exported to other areas of East Asia. Following Japan’s defeat in World War II, Shinto was formally separated from the state.
