Shinto

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/shinto

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the religious tradition?Indigenous animistic religion of Japan
2. What is the core deities?Kami, divine spirits inhabiting nature, ancestors, and phenomena
3. What are kami and why are they important in Shinto?Kami are spirits that live in nature, like mountains, rivers, and trees, as well as in ancestors. They are the heart of Shinto, and people honor them to stay connected with the world around them.
4. Why do people visit shrines on New Year's?The first shrine visit of the year, called Hatsumode, lets people pray for good luck and blessings for the coming year. It is a special time to start fresh and thank the kami.

Kami: Divine spirits, deities, or essences that are revered in Shinto, inhabiting natural elements, ancestors, and abstract concepts.
Jinja: A Shinto shrine, a sacred place dedicated to the worship of kami, characterized by its architecture and ritual spaces.
Torii: A traditional Japanese gate, often red, that marks the entrance to a Shinto shrine, symbolizing the transition from the mundane to the sacred.
Harae: The Shinto ritual of purification, essential for removing spiritual defilement (kegare) and restoring purity before interacting with kami.