上代神道 · じょうだいしんとう · history

Jōdai Shintō

The ancient form of Shinto practices and beliefs.

Definition

Jōdai Shintō refers to the ancient Shinto traditions and practices prevalent before the establishment of the state-controlled priesthood and canonical texts. It embodies the indigenous religious expressions of the Japanese people, where rituals, kami worship, and nature reverence were intimately tied to everyday life. Jōdai Shintō is significant for understanding the development of later Shinto practices and the synthesis with Buddhism and other influences during the Heian period.

Etymology

The term combines '上代' (jōdai), meaning 'ancient times,' with '神道' (Shintō), meaning 'the way of the kami'.