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Kami-no-Month, Kami-Yu-Month and the Japanese Gods
The lunar calendar month of October, from late October to early December, is called Kanna-tsuki, which is said to have come to be so called because it is the month when all the gods of Japan gather at Izumo-taisha shrine, as described in ‘The Road of Iron Sand on the Highway (Izumo)’, and there are no gods.
On the other hand, only in the Izumo region, where the gods gather, this month is called Kamiarizuki, and various Shinto rituals are held in dedication to the eight million gods who gather from all over the country.
出雲観光HPより
As described in ‘Reading the core of Christianity: the three monotheistic religions, the Old Testament and Abraham’, the God of monotheistic religions such as Christianity and Islam is depicted as the only absolute being, who created the universe, is omniscient and omnipotent and controls the fate of the world and humanity. Therefore, there is no gathering together to discuss matters.
In contrast, Japanese deities, like those of ancient Greek and Roman mythology and Hinduism, have multiple deities, each governing a particular natural phenomenon or human aspect and involved in the forces of nature and human activities. These deities inhabit all aspects of nature and life, and are rooted in a distinctly Japanese worldview, where they come together in the month of Kamiyu and hold group meetings.
The religion that venerates the gods in Japan is called Shinto. Many of the world’s religious names are called ‘XX-kyo’ in Japanese, but the only religious name for Shinto is not ‘Shintoism’ but simply ‘Shinto’, which follows a specific way of connecting the gods and humans, meaning ‘the way of the gods’. It is a religious and cultural practice that seeks harmony with nature and peace in life through the veneration and worship of Japanese deities and nature spirits. (See Introduction to Shinto)
The ‘Dou’ appears in various aspects of Japanese culture, such as the tea ceremony as described in ‘The History of Tea and the Japanese Tea Ceremony’, Shodou as described in ‘The Fluctuating Beauty of Japanese Painting and Japanese Calligraphy’, bushido as described in ‘The Art of Meiji: Fenollosa, Okakura Tenshin and Tea Books’, and martial arts such as judo and kendo.
The most important role in this ‘way’ is played by kata (forms). Kata serves as a foundation, for example, in judo and kendo, where repeated practice of kata strengthens mental unity and concentration. In tea ceremony and calligraphy, for example, it can also serve as a means of transmitting traditions and wisdom passed down from predecessors to the present day.
Form in Shinto is found in rituals, architecture, costumes and ritual implements, and plays an important role in creating sacred spaces and acts. These forms of human acts of respect for the gods are cultural and spiritual practices of gratitude to nature and the gods, prayers and wishes for peace and tranquillity in the festivals and ceremonies that mark the seasons and milestones in life, as well as a way of becoming aware of what is essential, of personal growth and of respect for others.
Japanese Shinto is also a part of the history of Buddhism, how it became a world religion and
‘As described in ‘Zen Thought and History, Mahayana Buddhism, Path Thought and Christianity’, Buddhism with its very flexible teachings and its ancient and long history of mixing with Buddhism will have cultural and ideological depth.
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