Main content
Art of Asia
Female Shinto spirit
This figure represents a Shinto goddess; her name is not known. She is depicted as an aristocratic woman, dressed in a thick kimono-like garment. Shinto images like this one were not meant to be seen but were kept hidden in movable cabinets in a special part of shrines, where they were privately worshiped. Since ancient times, the Japanese worshiped spirits (kami) who were believed to exist abundantly in such forms of the natural world as mountains, rocks, waterfalls, and trees. As such, they were not depicted in human form, male or female. It was only in the ninth century, under the strong influence of Buddhist image-making, kami began to be depicted in human form.
Want to join the conversation?
Shinto is awesome! Is it acceptable for non-Japanese people to practice Shinto?(7 votes)
Shinto is a religious practice it is up to each individual to decide what they will believe in if you decide this is for you then it is perfectly acceptable for you to practice it.(11 votes)
why did they worship it in private and not with other people?(2 votes)
From what I read, Shinto can be worshiped either in public or private. In private, people pray either to to thank them for something, or to ask for something.(2 votes)
Tell me more about the influence of Buddhist image-making. Is she actually supposed to be a Kami?(1 vote)
Before Buddhism's influence, the kami would not be depicted at all, however with the influx of Buddhist icons, imagery, and statues, it became more acceptable to depict a kami in a human form. The style is very much similar to Buddhist sculpture of the time in Japan. One clue that distinguishes Buddhist from Shinto statues are the clothes and hairstyles however, this is uniquely Japanese, whereas in Buddhist statues you may see styles from the Asian mainland, as from India or China.(3 votes)
I like that Shinto seems so flexible. Is it true that many Shinto followers in Japan have no issue also identifying as Buddhist (if they identify with a religion at all)?(1 vote)
it is true. for quite a long time after Buddhism was introduced in japan, they combined it with Shintoism. The religions don't clash in any way because Shintoism is about nature spirits and Buddhism is about being at peace with your surroundings and becoming like Buddha.(2 votes)
who was the female shinto spirit creater(1 vote)- How can we know that she is a godess or kami, as opposed to being a statue of a person like maybe a queen?(1 vote)
- that's a very good question. the answer is probably "why would they make a statue of a person?". Personal statues were created in the first place to divinise people.(1 vote)
Who would seen this type of shinto artwork?(1 vote)
Why were certain Shinto images kept hidden away from most people in portable cabinets?(1 vote)- How can people know the goddess name.(1 vote)
- Why doesn't she have a name?(0 votes)
It is a very old sculpture. There is a possibility that she did have a name, but it was lost and forgotten with the time. However, there is also a possibility that she might not have had just one or a single specific name. As she is said to represent a Shinto spirit, the name might have been connected either to a general or specific deity or a specific shrine or almost anything else related.(1 vote)
