Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education

WEEKLY HOME LEARNING PLAN FOR THE SECOND SEMESTER (FOURTH QUARTER)
INTRODUCTION TO WORLD RELIGIONS AND BELIEF SYSTEMS
WEEK DATES LEARNING LEARNING TASKS MODE OF
NO. COMPETENCY DELIVERY
6 June Examine the Use yellow paper/bond paper in answering the learning tasks. Have the
28 - brief history, I. Introduction parent hand-
July core This learning material was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you know the brief history, core in the output
02 teachings, teachings, fundamental beliefs, practices, and related issues of Shintoism. of the learners
fundamental At the end of this learning material, you should be able to: to the
beliefs, 1. Define Shintoism. teacher with
practices, 2. Explain the core teachings and fundamental beliefs of Shintoism. the help of
and related 3. Examine the Concept of purification and different ways to worship Shintoism. barangay
issues of II. Development representative
Shintoism. Pretest
Directions: Read and analyze each statement carefully. Choose the letter of the best answer and write it on your For some
yellow paper/bond paper. students who
1. What do you call to the holy book of Shintoism? have internet
A. Kami B. Kojiki C. Quran D. Shinto connections,
2. In which country was Shintoism founded? they can send
A. China B. India C. Japan D. Vietnam it online.
3. What is considered as the most extravagant festival in Japan?
A. New Year Festival B. Great Purification Festival C. Summer Festival D. Spring Festival
4. What is the most common symbol of Shintoism?
A. The Amaterasu B. The Kojiki C. The Kami D. The Torii Gate
5. How do the believers of Shinto practice their religion?
A. They pray at small altars in their home. C. They must pilgrimage to mecca.
B. They attend Churches once a week. D. They divide society into castes.

SHINTOISM is considered as the very essence of Japanese devotion to unseen spiritual beings and powers. Shintoism espouses
the belief that “human beings are basically good and has no concept of original sin.” Unlike other religions, it has no known
founder nor god, and it may be practiced with other religions such as Buddhism and Daoism.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The term “Shinto” came from “Shentao/Shendao”, shen means divine beings or kami and dao means “the way,” hence
Shintoism means “the way of the kami.” Shinto persisted even when Buddhism and Confucianism were introduced, spread,
and became a major religion/philosophy in Japan. During the Meiji Restoration, Shintoism was organized and became
completely separated with Buddhism, which was banned and reorganized. It was then when Shintoism became the official
state religion.

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SYMBOLS
The Torii Gate is the most common symbol for Shintoism. It is a sacred gateway supposed to represent a gate
upon which a cock crew on the occasion when Amaterasu emerged from the rock cave and relighted the world.
SACRED SCRIPTURES
• Kojiki - It is composed of three books: the first is the age of kami, which narrates the mythology, while the second
and third books discuss the imperial lineage, narrating the events concerning the imperial family up to the death of the
thirty-third ruler, Empress Suiko. The third book is concerned mainly with revolts and love stories of successive rulers
intertwined in a song-story format.
• Nihon shoki/Nihongi – It records the descent of the Yamato rulers of Japan from the gods. It represents a combination of
a political purpose with folklores and myths.
WORSHIP AND OBSERVANCES
• Unlike other religions, Shintoism has no weekly service; instead, people visit shrines at their own convenience.
• Proper performances of rites and ceremonies are an important aspect of Shintoism.
• They hold most of their rituals at the shrines, which they believe are the abode of the kami or spirits.
• Ritual Purification (Meditative Practices) - The Japanese observe the misogi, or ablutions (the act of washing one’s body
part or part of it, usually for religious purposes) which are considered as very ancient ceremonies performed after funeral
ceremonies, when all members of the family go into the water together to cleanse themselves in a purification bath.
TYPES OF WORSHIP
• At Home (kamidana) - Shintoists often place a small altar (“kami shelf”) inside their houses and this is where they perform
the the following rituals: purification; offertory; clapping their hands to the kami (who, they believe, could see and hear
what they are doing); and offering of prayers.
• At Shinto Shrine - Also called ceremonial worship, this includes a visit to a Shinto shrine which detaches a worshipper from
his or her ordinary environment. In this type of worship, trees in Shinto shrines, particularly the oldest and most revered
ones, have ropes tied to them to signify reverence to the presence of kami.
Magical Charms and Amulets
Aside from worshipping the kami at the shrines, one of the main attractions at the shrines is the sale and distribution of
charms or amulets. Shintoists believe that these amulets provide protection and can even be a source of magic.
SEASONAL FESTIVALS
• Great Purification Festival, which is celebrated in shrines all over Japan every June and December, with priests waving a
cleansing wand over the people, who rub paper dolls on their bodies to symbolize the transfer of impurities from their
bodies to the dolls, then these dolls are thrown away by the priest.
• New Year Festival, considered the most extravagant festival in Japan, which begins on the first day of January and just
like other festivals in Japan, lasts for several days.
BELIEFS AND DOCTRINES
• Kami Worship - Shintoism is a religion which revolves around the belief in and worship of kami or spirits.
Here are some of the most important kami in Japan:
Kami Description/Association
Amaterasu-o-mi-kami Sun Goddess; greatest of the kami; kami of the Ise shrine; ancestor of the imperial family
Benten music and the arts
Ebisu prosperity; abandoned leech-child of Izanami and Izanagi
Hachiman Archery and war
Izanami Sky god
Izanagi Earth goddess
Susanoo wind/storm; Amterasu’s brother
Tenjin education

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Concept of Pure and Impure
• Shintoism, unlike other religions, does not have a clear distinction between what is right and what is wrong. However,
since its most important concept is purity, there are acts or things which are considered as evil since they cause or signify
impurity.
• For example, blood is regarded as impure. Shintoism strongly disapproved of the pollution of blood.
Concept of Death
• Death is considered as the worst form of impurity in Shintoism.
• When a person dies, his or her body is considered as the most impure thing. That is why they perform ritual bathing after a
funeral ceremony wherein all family members do a ritual bathing in the river.
De/Virtue
• The way to appease the kami or the spirits, according to Shinto, is through purification.
• Proper observance of rituals is necessary in order to purify oneself and be deserving of the blessings from the deities.
• Living in harmony with nature, which is inhabited by the kami or spirits, is encouraged.

III. Engagement
Activity 1. MATCH ME!
Directions: Write the letter of the correct answer from Column B that best matches or describes the given words in Column A.
COLUMN A COLUMN B
1. Ancestor of the imperial family A. Age of Kami
2. First book of Kojiki B. Amaterasu-o-mi-kami
3. Spirits C. Death
4. Worst form of impurity D. Purification
5. Way to appease the kami or the spirits E. Kami

Activity 2. SLOGAN MAKING PERIOD

IV. Assimilation
Assessment
Directions: Read and analyze each statement carefully. Choose the letter of the best answer and write it on a yellow
paper/bond paper.
1. How do the believers of Shinto practice their religion?
A. They pray at small altars in their home. C. They must pilgrimage to mecca.
B. They attend Churches once a week. D. They divide society into castes.
2. What do you call to the holy book of Shintoism?
A. Kami B. Kojiki C. Quran D. Shinto
3. In which country was Shintoism founded?
A. China B. India C. Japan D. Vietnam

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 4. What is most common symbol of Shintoism?
A. The Amaterasu B. The Kojiki C. The Kami D. The Torii Gate
5. What is considered as the most extravagant festival in Japan?
A. New Year Festival B. Great Purification Festival C. Summer Festival D. Spring Festival

Reflection
Learners will write on their notebooks or journals their insights about the lesson.
I understand that_____________________________________________________________________________.
I realized that ________________________________________________________________________________.

References: Ong, Jerome A., et al. (2016). Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems. 1253 Gregorio Araneta Avenue, Quezon City: Vibal Group, Inc.

Prepared by: Checked by: Noted:

JOLINA MARIZ C. NOCHE GLORIA U. INANDAN DIOSA M. LUMBERA ANICIA R. INDICIO, EdD
Teacher II Teacher I HEAD TEACHER II Principal IV