Divine messages: a Shinto priest serves as a spiritual guide

Akira Ishikoshi, Rotary Club of Samukawa, Japan

Gon-gūji (associate chief Shinto priest), Samukawa Shrine

I grew up playing in the courtyard of a shrine where my father was a kannushi, or Shinto priest. I observed and participated in Shinto festivals and rituals, and with my father's influence, I began studying the Shinto faith and became a kannushi myself.

The Japanese think of Shintoism more as an indigenous belief system than an organized religion. Unlike Buddhism and Christianity, Shinto does not have a founder or sacred scriptures, such as the sutras or the Bible. Shinto followers believe that kami, or deities, reside in everything. And since the island country is prone to natural disasters, such as earthquakes and typhoons, people sought protection from guardian deities.

Nowadays, Shintoism has become interwoven with Japanese culture and moral values. It is our way of looking at the world. Shinto's key concepts center around purity and cleanliness, harmony with nature, and respect for tradition and family.

The Samukawa Shrine is about 1,600 years old. It's a sprawling complex of imposing traditional Japanese buildings with the main worship hall perched prominently like a gigantic bird. It enshrines the local guardian deity, who, according to legend, protects followers from evil and misfortune in eight directions and invites happiness and prosperity.

A kannushi acts as the medium between the worshipper and the guardian deities, presiding over shrine ceremonies. I don't preach, and my main function is to foster communications between the kami and the worshippers who come to pray with their offerings and seek the deity's blessings.

To become a kannushi, a novice must study at a university approved by the Association of Shinto Shrines in Japan or pass an exam. Shinto priests can marry, and their children often take over their position. There are about 20,000 Shinto priests working at Japan's 80,000 Shinto shrines, and about 16 percent are women.

I joined the Rotary Club of Samukawa in 2014 and host weekly meetings inside the Samukawa Shrine. During Shinto festivals, our club organizes activities there to increase awareness about Rotary and raise funds for community projects. The shrine is a pillar of our community and so is Rotary. I admire the Rotary ideals of service and peace, which fit perfectly with Shinto philosophy.

— As told to Minmin Wu. Image credit: Minmin Wu