Introduction

Shrines, in general are built to pay tribute to ancient gods, saints and people who are to be remembered. A comparison between the purpose of shrines in Shinto and secular American culture are discussed below. The discussion reveals that although shrines are used for the common purpose of paying communal tribute, its use in different cultures and for different purposes vary.

Shinto Shrines

Shinto “The Japanese Heart’, is one of the oldest traditional religions of Japan. The followers of this religion generally worship in well structured shrines built specifically for this purpose. There are no sacred written texts and followers are free to adopt the traditions and customs of other faiths. The religions is based on ‘the way of the kami’ which translates to ‘god or deity’ and can, in different contexts mean different things e.g. ancestors, inanimate objects, nature etc.

Sacred objects of worship which represent the ‘god(s)’ are placed in the inner chambers of the shrine. Other structures and objects which can typically be found at the shrines are the Torii gates; the Komaniu, the guardian dogs; the Purification trough, used by the visitors to clean themselves before entering the shrine; the Main and offering hall, where the prayers are conducted; the Stage, for the bugaku ceremonial dances; the Ema, the site where visitors write their wishes on wooden plates and hope that they come true; the Omikuji, the fortune telling paper slips and the Shimenawa, the rope with paper strips which signifies something that is sacred. The followers of Shinto pay visits to the shrines in the events of births, weddings, and religious occasions or even to just pray (Japan-guide.com).

Within the premises of the Shinto shrine are additional buildings where the priest may reside or hold office. Cemeteries are never in the vicinity of the shrine as they are considered to be a sign of death which is impure in the Shino religion. The architecture and structure of these shrines go back thousands of years and reflect the influence of Buddhist temples. These shrines are all over Japan and can be categorized into a few major shrines, namely; Imperial Shrines which are built by the state; Inari Shrines which are dedicated to the ‘god of rice’; Hachiman Shrines which are dedicated to the ‘god of war’; Tenjin Shrines dedicated to a famous scholar and politician; Sengen Shrines dedicated to the Shino deity of Mount Fuji; Shrines dedicated to the founders of the powerful clans and Local shrines which are dedicated to local ‘kami or gods’ in association with other shrines (Japan-guide.com).

Shrines in secular American cultures

The use of shrines in American culture has evolved over the years and is a response to tragedy and disaster. Sylvia Grider in her article titled, ‘Spontaneous Shrines: A Modern Response to Tragedy and Disaster’ explains that the spontaneous shrine phenomenon has come about due to the increase in tragic and disastrous events. People who build shrines in honour of ones who they have lost, find comfort in this act. The shrines built are mostly temporary structures built in strategic places close to the disaster site. They serve a dual purpose of a place to leave a ritual offering and a pilgrimage site to come and see what others have left.

Different people respond to disaster or grief in different ways. Some visit religious places of worship, while others conduct candle light vigils and construct shrines. This expression of emotion or grief helps the bereaved to come to grips with reality and is an expression of humanity as a whole (Grider).

Shrines have been built for celebrities e.g. Elvis Presley, royalty e.g. Princess Diana and even for the common man whose actions have been considered heroic e.g. the shrines built after 9/11. You might also see roadside shrines or crosses which mark accidents of unfortunate souls. These are personal expressions of grief and memory for the dearly departed (Grider).

People visit these shrines and feel comforted in the presence of others. The placement of mementos is also very popular at these shrines as it gives the visitors a sense of purpose and less helplessness to a situation that cannot be changed. Mementoes range from flowers, candles, balloons, stuffed animals, photographs, drawings, banners, posters, written messages, religions items such as crosses, crucifixes and angels, books, blank sheets of posters for passers by to write their messages etc. These types of shrines are mostly built close to the place of disaster and are of a temporary nature and are replaced by the gravesite of the deceased. The therapeutic purpose of these temporary shrines however, cannot be undermined (Grider).

The popularity of shrines in the West is on the rise due to media and the Internet. Media today plays a very important role in the popularity of shrines. We now expect to see shrines at the wake of every disaster. The Internet has given rise to the development of cyber shrines where websites are made in memory of those who are deceased. Visitors can view photographs of the deceased and other related images, read other peoples messages, write their own thoughts and even light virtual candles (Grider).

The world today is making these shrines a part of the tradition for the expression of grief under disastrous circumstances and as a memorial to the deceased. The impact of these shrines are felt by not only those who are immediately affected by the tragic event but also by those who visit these sites or hear about them.

Conclusion

The purpose of shrines used in Shinto and secular American culture has one thing in common, they are used to commemorate and pay tribute to people or things that they believe in. All other purposes are vastly different.

The Japanese use the shrine for purely religious purposes whereas the American culture has made it a tradition to enshrine the memories of loved ones who they have lost in tragic and disastrous events. The Shino shrines want nothing to do with ‘death’ as it is considered impure in their religion. In contrast, shrines built in the American culture are for the sole purpose of commemorating the dead and are usually built very close to the site of the disaster. Shino shrines are dedicated to ‘kami or god’ are usually very well structured landmark sites in Japan whereas American shrines are dedicated to deceased humans and are mostly temporary.

The use of shrines in both cultures serves their own purpose and impact people as a whole. In Japan, the visitors feel linked with their ‘god’, while in America it is believed that building and visiting shrines provides the bereaved with an opportunity to cope with grief and an outlet for pent up feelings and emotions which otherwise go unexpressed and cause lifelong trauma.