Posted By crates on February 23, 2009

          Shugendo is an amalgam of various religions such as Japanese shamanism, Kannabe Shinko, Tantric Buddhism, religious Taoism and Confucianism–a religion  peculiar to Japan comprising aspects of all the various religious influences that has influenced Japan.  Shugendo, translated as “the way,”  is a method of mastering magico-ascetic spiritual powers– a search for spiritual, mystical, or supernatural powers gained through asceticism.

     It was banned by the Japanese government (Meiji Restoration) in an attempt at modernization–referred to as “a superstition not fit for a new modernized Japan.”  The Shugendo temples were converted to accepted Shinto  and Buddhist Shrines. No longer practiced in its original form, it’s influence today can be found in the Shingon and Tendai sects of Buddhism.  Aspects of this faith such as it’s reverence for nature, especially mountains, is reflected in aspects of modern Japanese culture.

Some Links:

Wikipedia’s article

A good article  Read this if you want to know more.

Categories: nature
Tags: nature