20 INTRODUCTION. 



would make the original religion of Japan a pure theism. It is not easy to say what it was or 

 is. As to the Sintoo creed, its leading features, according to Siebold, are some A'ague notion 

 of the immortality of the soul, of a future state of existence, of rewards and punishments, a 

 paradise and a hell. Its five great duties are : 1st. Preservation of pure fire as an emblem of 

 purity and instrument of purification. 2d. Purity of soul, heart, and body to be cherished, 

 the first by obeying the dictates of reason and the laws, the last by abstaining from whatever 

 defiles. 3d. Observance of festival days, which are numerous. 4th. Pilgrimages, which at 

 certain times in the year are imposing and costly ; and 5tli. The worship of the Kami, both in 

 the temples and in private habitations. Impurity may be contracted in various ways : By 

 associating with the impure, by hearing obscene or wicked language, by eating certain meats, 

 and by coming in contact with blood, or with a dead body. For all these there are the prescribed 

 modes of purification. 



The festivals all begin with a visit to the temple. There the votary performs his ablutions at 

 a reservoir provided for the purpose ; he then kneels in the verandah, opposite to a grated 

 window, through which he gazes at the mirror, and then offers up his prayers, with his sacrifice 

 of rice, fruit, tea, or the like. This done, he drops his coin in the money-box, and retires. 

 This is the usual form of Kami worship at the temples. The moneys contributed are applied 

 to the support of the Kaminusi, as they are called. These are the priests of the temple, and 

 their name or title means, literally, the landlords of the gods. These priests live in houses 

 within the grounds of their respective temples, and are hospitable to strangers. Siebold says 

 that they marry, and that their wives are priestesses, who have prescribed religious duties ; 

 though we have been told by an intelligent Japanese, in reply to our inquiries, that the Sintoo 

 priests do not marry. 



Pilgrimage, however, is the great religious duty of the Sintooites. There are two-and-twenty 

 shrines in the Kingdom commanding such homage ; but the great and most sacred one is that 

 of the sun-goddess, Ten-sio-dai-sin, at Isye. To make at least one pilgrimage to this shrine is 

 incumbent upon everybody of the Sintoo faith. The very pious go annually. Even the 

 Buddhists (with the exception of the Bonzes or priests) perform this pilgrimage. The Ziogoon 

 is permitted to perform this religious duty vicariously, and annually sends an embassy of 

 pilgrims to Isye. 



The Kaminusi are the regular clergy of the Sintoo religion in Japan ; but the European 

 writers on the subject mention two institutions or religious orders, if they may be so called, 

 composed entirely of the blind, and constituting a quasi clergy. The Japanese tell romantic 

 stories about their origin. One of the fraternities they say was founded many centuries ago by 

 Senmimar, a prince of the Empire, and the younger son of the then reigning Mikado. The 

 prince was one of the handsomest men in the Kingdom, and loved a princess whose beauty was 

 a match for his own. She died, and such was his grief, that he wept himself blind. He then 

 founded this order. The other association had a different, but not less remarkable origin. In 

 the times of Yoritomo, of whom we have spoken in the last section, there was a general named 

 Kakekigo, who commanded a part of the troops of Prince Feki. In battle with Yoritomo, 

 Prince Feki was slain, and Kakekigo was taken prisoner. So great was the renown of the 

 prisoner, throughout Japan, that Yoritomo strove most earnestly to gain his friendship ; he 

 loaded him with kindnesses and finally offered him his liberty. Kakekigo replied : "I can love 

 none but my slain master. I owe you gratitude ; hut you caused Prince Feki's death, and never 



