Shinto in Modern Society

Reading Passage

都会とかいの喧騒けんそうから離はなれ、週末しゅうまつに故郷こきょうへ帰省きせいした美咲みさきは、昔むかしながらの町並まちなみに心こころを和なごませていた。特とくに彼女かのじょの目めを引ひいたのは、長閑のどかな田園風景でんえんふうけいに溶とけ込こむように佇たたずむ鎮守ちんじゅの森もりと、その奥おくに厳おごそかに佇たたずむ神社じんじゃだった。

幼おさない頃ころは遊あそび場ばであり、夏なつには祭まつりが催もよおされる賑にぎやかな場所ばしょとして親したしんでいたが、上京じょうきょうして以来いらい、神社じんじゃの存在そんざいは彼女かのじょの意識いしきの片隅かたすみに追おいやられていた。今回こんかい、久々ひさびさに訪おとずれてみて、美咲みさきは地域ちいきの住民じゅうみんたちが社やしろの清掃せいそうを行おこなっている光景こうけいを目まの当あたりにした。高齢こうれいの男女だんじょが汗あせを流ながしながら、丁寧ていねいに境内けいだいを掃はいている。

彼かれらにとって神社じんじゃは単たんなる観光地かんこうちではなく、地域社会ちいきしゃかいの精神的せいしんてきな拠より所どころなのだと、美咲みさきは再認識さいにんしきした。都会とかいの合理性ごうりせいや効率性こうりつせいに慣なれ親したしんだ美咲みさきにとって、彼かれらが伝統でんとうを地道じみちに守まもり続つづける姿すがたは新鮮しんせんに映うつった。神道しんとうが現代社会げんだいしゃかいにおいて果はたす役割やくわりは、昔むかしとは異ことなる形かたちで存在そんざいしている。自然しぜんとの共生きょうせい、地域ちいきの絆きずなの醸成じょうせい、そして何なによりも人ひと々びとの心こころに安寧あんねいをもたらすこと。都会とかいに戻もどってからも、美咲みさきは故郷こきょうの神社じんじゃと、そこで見みた光景こうけいを時折ときおり思おもい出だし、自分じぶんの中なかにも確たしかに息いきづく伝統でんとうの価値かちを噛かみ締しめるのだった。

Vocabulary List

• 喧騒けんそう (kensō) — hustle and bustle; commotion
• 帰省きせい (kisei) — returning home (to one's parents' house)
• 長閑のどか (nodoka) — peaceful; tranquil; calm
• 田園風景でんえんふうけい (den'en fūkei) — rural scenery; pastoral landscape
• 鎮守ちんじゅの森もり (chinju no mori) — guardian forest (of a shrine); sacred grove
• 佇たたずむ (tatazumu) — to stand still; to loiter; to remain standing
• 催もよおされる (moyoosareru) — to be held; to be sponsored
• 追おいやられる (oiyarareru) — to be driven away; to be relegated (to a corner)
• 目まの当あたりにする (ma no atari ni suru) — to see firsthand; to witness
• 拠より所どころ (yoridokoro) — spiritual support; refuge; anchor
• 合理性ごうりせい (gōrisei) — rationality; reasonableness
• 効率性こうりつせい (kōritsusei) — efficiency
• 地道じみちに (jimichi ni) — steadily; conscientiously; honestly
• 醸成じょうせい (jōsei) — fostering; brewing (e.g., atmosphere, bond)
• 安寧あんねい (annei) — peace; tranquility; public order
• 噛かみ締しめる (kamishimeru) — to reflect deeply upon; to chew over; to savor

English Translation

Misaki returned to her hometown for the weekend, leaving behind the city's hustle and bustle. The traditional townscape soothed her heart, but what particularly caught her eye was the serene guardian forest of the shrine. It nestled as if blending into the peaceful rural scenery, with the solemn shrine standing deep within its depths.

While growing up, the shrine was a vibrant playground and a bustling hub for summer festivals. However, after moving to the city, its presence had gradually faded to the back of her mind. During this long-awaited visit, Misaki witnessed local residents meticulously cleaning the shrine. Elderly men and women were diligently sweeping the grounds, beads of sweat on their brows.

Misaki now understood that for these residents, the shrine was far more than just a tourist spot; it was a spiritual cornerstone for their community. Accustomed to the rationality and efficiency of city life, Misaki found their dedicated efforts to preserve tradition remarkably fresh and meaningful. In modern society, Shinto plays a role that differs from the past. It now emphasizes coexistence with nature, fostering community bonds, and, most importantly, bringing peace to people's hearts. Even after returning to the city, Misaki often found herself recalling the shrine and the scenes she had witnessed. She deeply appreciated the enduring value of tradition that resonated within her.

Comprehension Questions

• 美咲みさきが故郷こきょうへ帰省きせいしたのはなぜですか。

Why did Misaki return to her hometown?

• 幼おさない頃ころ、美咲みさきは神社じんじゃをどのように捉とらえていましたか。

How did Misaki perceive the shrine in her childhood?

• 美咲みさきは神社じんじゃでどのような光景こうけいを目まの当あたりにしましたか。

What scene did Misaki witness at the shrine?

• 美咲みさきが再認識さいにんしきしたことによると、地域ちいきの住民じゅうみんにとって神社じんじゃはどのような存在そんざいでしたか。

After her new realization, what did Misaki understand the shrine to be for the local residents?

• 本文ほんぶんによると、現代社会げんだいしゃかいにおいて神道しんとうが果はたす役割やくわりとして、どのような３つの点てんが挙あげられていますか。

According to the passage, what three roles does Shinto play in modern society?

Grammar Points Used

• 〜に溶とけ込こむように (ni tokekomu yō ni): Meaning: "as if melting into ~", "blending in with ~". This phrase expresses a manner or appearance, indicating that something fits in naturally and harmoniously with its surroundings.

Example: 彼かれは周囲しゅういの風景ふうけいに溶とけ込こむように佇たたずんでいた。

He stood as if blending into the surrounding scenery.

• 〜として親したしむ (toshite shitashimu): Meaning: "to be familiar with ~ as ~", "to be fond of ~ as ~". It indicates that someone has an affinity for or is accustomed to something in a particular capacity or role.

Example: 私わたしはあの公園こうえんを幼おさない頃ころからの遊あそび場ばとして親したしんできた。

I've been familiar with that park as my playground since childhood.

• 〜て以来いらい (te irai): Meaning: "since ~", "ever since ~". This expression indicates that an action, state, or situation has continued without interruption from a specific point or event in the past up to the present.

Example: 日本にほんに来きて以来いらい、毎日まいにち日本食にほんしょくを食たべている。

Ever since I came to Japan, I've been eating Japanese food every day.

• 〜の片隅かたすみに追おいやられる (no katasumi ni oiyarareru): Meaning: "to be relegated to a corner of ~", "to be pushed aside into ~'s corner". This implies that something has become less important, been neglected, or largely forgotten in one's mind or society.

Example: その古ふるい慣習かんしゅうは時代じだいの流ながれとともに意識いしきの片隅かたすみに追おいやられていった。

That old custom was relegated to a corner of people's consciousness with the flow of time.

• 〜を目まの当あたりにする (o ma no atari ni suru): Meaning: "to see ~ firsthand", "to witness ~". This phrase describes the act of directly observing something, often an important, impactful, or surprising event.

Example: 歴史的れきしてきな瞬間しゅんかんを目まの当あたりにして、感動かんどうした。

I was deeply moved to witness that historic moment firsthand.

• 〜に慣なれ親したしむ (ni nare shitashimu): Meaning: "to become accustomed to ~", "to get used to ~". It describes the process of becoming familiar and comfortable with something or someone through repeated experience.

Example: 都会とかいの生活せいかつに慣なれ親したしむまで時間じかんがかかった。

It took time to get accustomed to city life.

• 〜に映うつる (ni utsuru): Meaning: "to appear ~", "to seem ~ to ~". This indicates how something looks or appears to someone, often implying a subjective perception or impression.

Example: 彼かれの行動こうどうは私わたしには無責任むせきにんに映うつった。

His actions seemed irresponsible to me.

• 〜において果はたす役割やくわり (ni oite hatasu yakuwari): Meaning: "the role played in ~", "the role that ~ fulfills in ~". This phrase is used to describe the function, part, or contribution something takes within a specific context, field, or situation.

Example: 教育きょういくは社会しゃかいの発展はってんにおいて重要じゅうような役割やくわりを果はたしています。

Education plays an important role in the development of society.