Abstract
Amidst all the scientific and technological interventions regarding water use and conservation, pollution, and recycling, the spiritual and cultural value of water is often overlooked. Whereas local people can relate to specific water sources and uses more through local legends and narratives than through technical jargons, ignoring these values creates a gap between planning and implementation. Shintoism is an indigenous animistic and shamanistic religion from Japan that believes in the tripartite relationship between Kami (or deity), human beings, and nature. The present chapter explores how water is valued in Shintoism and attempts to identify how this valuation translates into practical conservation practices. The study investigates the spiritual aspects of water and waterbodies, including temizuya or ablution rituals, holy/sacred water, and yutate-kagura. It is found that these aspects are embedded deep into the culture of Japanese society and imbibes the value of water among Japanese population. Realizing the value of water leads to mindful use and conservation. Shintoism and its deep-rooted philosophy of valuing nature and its components inculcate nature mindfulness among its followers.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Funayama, N., & Murakami, K. (2016). Kakogawasuikei to Yuragawasuikei no kawashimo, kawasuso, kawasosinko no densho [folklore of belief in coastal area of the Kako River and Yura River basin of o deity as “Kawa-shimo”, “Kawa-suso” and “Kawa-so”]. Bulletin of Hokkaido Museum, 1, 73–86. https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1523106605402440448.bib?lang=ja (in Japanese)
Funayama, N., Murakami, K., Omagari, K., & Takeda, S. (2018). Shigaken, Fukuiken, Ishikawaken no kawashimo, kawasuso, kawasosinko no densho [folklore of belief in the River Basin of “Kawa-shimo”, “Kawa-suso” and “Kawa-so” in the Shiga Prefecture, Fukui Prefecture and Ishikawa Prefecture]. Bulletin of Hokkaido Museum, 3, 179–192. (in Japanese).
Furutani, A., Hisamoti, H., Fujita, H., & Sawa, I. (2022). Naraken Yoshinogun, Ryuuzinsouhonguu, Niukawakamijinjakamisha no yurai to bunkakutsu [Origin of Niukawakami-Jinja-Kamisha and its Culture, Ryuuzin-Souhonguu, Yoshino-gun, Nara: Suijin Souja, Government Shrine, Japan’s Oldest Water God, Ruins]. The bulletin of Cave Environmental Net Society, 13(1), 77–90. https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1520292251365025408.bib?lang=ja (in Japanese)
Herbert, J. (1967). Shinto: At the fountain-head of Japan. George Allen & Unwin.
Hojo, K. (2008). Kodainihon no shinbutsushinko [Shinto and Buddhism in Ancient Japan]. Bulletin of the National Museum of Japanese History, 148, 7–38. https://doi.org/10.15024/00001647. (in Japanese).
Ikesue, K. (2020). Shinran to kawa [Shinran and River]. Water Science, 63(6), 93–102. https://doi.org/10.20820/suirikagaku.63.6_93. (in Japanese).
Isogawa, T., & Torigoe, H. (2005). Suihinshinko kara mita Kasumigaura no kankyo [the Lake Kasumigaura as an environment of the residents on the shore: By referring to Suijin, their Guardian deities of water]. Journal of Rural Studies, 12(1), 36–48. https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1520572358369740672.bib?lang=ja (in Japanese)
Ito, T. (2019). Kappa niyoru mizubekankyohozenundo to tiikisinkokouka [Riparian environmental conservation movement by kappa and its effect on regional development]. Journal of Water and Environmental Issues, 32(1), 23–31. https://doi.org/10.6012/jwei.32.23. (in Japanese).
Jinnai, H. (2015). Umi, kawa, Izumi mizube no mamorigamitachi (tokushu Tokyo no Jinja: Dekobokochikei to yuisho de meguru) [sea, river, spring: Guardians of the waterside. (special feature: Shinto shrines in Tokyo: A tour of uneven topography and history)]. Tokyojin, 30(5), 28–35. https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1523106604984874368.bib?lang=ja (in Japanese)
Kawai, M. (1995). Naze midori o motomerunoka [why do you find green?: Recurrence to the true character of human]. In M. Yamaguchi, M. Kawai, T. Matsui, K. Higuchi, K. Nakamura, & Y. Nakamura (Eds.), Hito Wa naza shizen wo motomerunoka [why does the person demand nature?]. Mita Publishing. (in Japanese).
Komatsu, K. (1999). Nihon niokekuru mizu womeguru minzokudensho [folklore and traditions about water in Japan]. Bulletin of the Research Center for Silk Roadology, 1, 55–64. (in Japanese).
Lee, Y.-S., Sakuno, S., Prebensen, N., & Kimura, K. (2018). Tracing Shintoism in Japanese nature-based domestic tourism experiences. Cogent Social Sciences, 4(1), 1446671. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2018.1446671
Murakami, T. (2020). Kisogawatyukaryuuiki no suijin no bunpu—Kasentikei ya kasenriyo tono kanren wo tyusinni—[distribution of “Suijin (Water God)” along the middle and lower reaches of the Kiso-Gawa River—Special reference to relevance to river topography and use—]. Water Science, 64(3), 113–135. https://doi.org/10.20820/suirikagaku.64.3_113. (in Japanese).
Nagasako, T. (2017). Shuraku no chushin to shiteno wakimizu no yakuwari: Kiyomizu no wakimizu to zikkyonuho no hikakukenkyu [The present role of springs as a village center based on comparative study on Kiyomizu Spring and Serikaku Stream, Kagoshima Prefecture]. Proceedings of the General Meeting of the Association of Japanese Geographers. https://doi.org/10.14866/AJG.2017A.0_100030 (in Japanese).
Nakagawa, J. (2006). Nagaogawaryuiki no furusatomukashibanashi [Hometown folktales of the Nagao River basin]. Nishina library friends association “Keyaki” (in Japanese).
Naoe, H. (1969). (Minzokugaku) Tonegawaryuiki niokeru suijinshiko [(folklore) belief in water gods in the Tone River Basin]. Anthropological Science, 22, 186–198. https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1521417754953626880.bib?lang=ja (in Japanese)
Ogawa, N. (2013). “Wakamizu” kara seisuisinkoron he [the trajectory of research on Wakamizu (the first water at new Year’s day) and worship of holy water]. The Journal of Kokugakuin University, 114(10), 85–110. https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1520290882533257728.bib?lang=ja (in Japanese)
Ryokuchikenkyuukai (ed) (1974). Research of shrine/temple forests. Doi Forestry Promotion Society, Tokyo (in Japanese).
Sasao, T., & Okada, M. (2021). Syuzogyo ni matsuwaru rekisitekiwakimizu ni kansuru tiikiekikenkyu [study on historic natural springs related to brewing industry]. Proceedings of The City Planning Institute of Japan, Kansai Branch, 19, 53–56. https://doi.org/10.11361/CPIJKANSAI.19.0_53. (in Japanese).
Sato, H. (2001). Suijin no rutsu to seikatsubunka: Kifune to Aso no Suijintanbou kara [an origin of the god of water and the Japanese culture in its life-style: An investigation of the god of water at Kifune shrine and Aso shrine]. Bulletin of Living Science, 23, 91–104. https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1050564288193910784.bib?lang=ja (in Japanese)
Shintobunkakai. (2006). Mizu to shintobunka [Water and Shinto culture]. Shintobunkakai. https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1130282272526129920.bib?lang=ja (in Japanese).
Sonoda, M. (2000). Shinto and the natural environment. In J. Breen & M. Teeuwen (Eds.), Shinto in history: Ways of the Kami (pp. 32–46). Roitledge.
Takatori, M. (1993). Shinto no seiritsu [establishment of Shintoism]. Heibonsha Limited. (in Japanese).
Tsubaki, M. (2003). Arabu no “mizu” to Izu no “mizu” – densetsu no seisuisinko (tokushu izugakuno shikai wo hiraku) [Arabic “Water” and Izu “Water”: Sacred Water Beliefs in Legend (Special Feature: Opening the Vision of Izu Studies)]. In Nihon University Comparative Literature and Comparative Culture Association (Ed), Comparative Literature and Comparative Culture Association, 5, 214–227. https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1520572357504495488.bib?lang=ja (in Japanese).
Umehara, T. (1990). Nihon towa nannanoka [what is Japan?]. NHK Publishing. (in Japanese).
Umehara, T., & Yasuda, Y. (Eds.). (1993). Mori no bunmei—Junkan no shisou [civilization of the forest: Circulatory thought]. Kodansha Ltd. (in Japanese).
Underwood, A. C. (2008). Shintoism: The indigenous religion of Japan. Pomona Press.
Yanagi, M. (2015). Suiun to suijinsinko (tokushu saitama no kotsushi(2) Kasen to syuun). In Saitama Cultural Properties Protection Association (Ed), Saitama no bunkazai [Cultural Properties in Saitama], 55, 54–63. https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1523388081058673664.bib?lang=ja (in Japanese).
Yazawa, K. (1989). Oigawaryuiki niokeru suijinshinko no chiikisei [the regional peculiarity of belief in the water god at the basin of the Oi River]. Komazawa Geography, 25, 115–138. https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1050282813210331904.bib?lang=ja (in Japanese)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Chiang, HH., Basu, M., Sano, Y. (2023). Water and Shintoism: Exploring the Link between Spirituality and Water Values in Japan. In: Basu, M., DasGupta, R. (eds) Indigenous and Local Water Knowledge, Values and Practices. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-9406-7_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-9406-7_5
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-19-9405-0
Online ISBN: 978-981-19-9406-7
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)