Power Spot
■It is thought that belief in “Kami (Japanese God)” began with belief in
nature like mountain and rock, and then moved on to belief in “Kami with
personality”. Does that mean that faith in nature has disappeared today?
■No, this faith has been recovering recently. This is evidenced by the
recent boom in “Power Spot”. Power Spot is Japanese English. It is said
to have started in the early 1990s as a place to take in the energy of
the earth. Power spot is “specific place” that energizes and heals people.
■Most of Power Spots in Japan are nature such as mountain, rock, spring
and giant tree. It seems that the desire to own the power of the earth
forms the basis of the Japanese sentiment. And Kami (Japanese God) is always
enshrined there.
What is Shinto?
■Shinto is “the act of worshiping fearful beings in certain sacred places
out of a sense of awe.” What distinguishes Shinto from other religions
is that it is a faith centered on “Matsuri (act of worship).”
■Also, “Matsuri” are held at ”Shrines”, “Iwakura” and “Himorogi.” In other
words, Shinto is associated with certain sacred places. For example, worship
of “Amida Buddha” does not necessarily have to be associated with a particular
temple enshrining a Buddha statue, but worship of “Amaterasu” is associated
with “Ise Jing Shrine”, which is located above the Isuzu River in Ise.