[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by steamboatsam

1. How does an ancestor become a kami? Reading from the websites that bELyVIS and TalnSG put up, they are people who were considered of importance (like warheros that died in battle and those who sacrificed their lifes for the betterment of Japan), but if that is case wouldn't a janitor who cleaned a elementry school so the kids can learn in a safer enviroment be considred a kami when he/she passes away because he/she sacrificed his/her health to help the kids?

Your relatives become "kami" when they die. That`s it. It doesn`t matter what they did, how good or bad they were, etc.
Whether anyone other than your family chooses to recognize them as anything significant, or if the family even considers them that is a different matter. (Remember, without someone believing in it, it doesn`t exist.) People who were incredibly amazing or such in their lives might be considered a local kami and have some kind of community appreciation. Otherwise, it`s basically just praying at a grave. They moved on to some other form of existence.

2. While reading on the website put up by TalnSG, it stated different that kami interact by temporarly connecting with a physical object, including humans. Is it possible for a kami to choose to reside in a single object permanently, and is the idea of kami temporarly possessing a person still thought true?

I have no idea on this one, as it`s not really a concept that would be brought up in normal life. There are items that are supposed to have powerful kami connected with them, but I don`t think there is any sort of direct possession style stuff going on anymore.

It is a little suprising that people do it because of shinto.

Because of Shinto is a bit of a stretch in my opinion. It`s just an explanation for why - not the direct reason. If someone were to ask you why you talk to your car what would you answer? Kami is a convenient answer, I think.

1. I read that shinto priests and priestesses learn things like archery and swordsmanship. Is it because of ritual purposes, and if so, can someone name a few?

Anything to do with ritual is going to be regional. If you are a shrine of arrows, or bows, or swords, etc, you`re probably going to learn something of the like to do with some ceremony. The local shrine of pickling has a pickle festival each year, and the priests and priestesses make pickles that are offered to the kami of pickling. They all know how to make good pickles. If you`re going to have an archery event to honor some kami, then chances are that you`ll learn archery.

2. Is shinto priesthood hereditary (passes down from parent to child) or could anyone be a priest/priestess?

Priests; As far as I know anyone can do it, but most of the time it does end up being hereditary and a second job as it isn`t exactly a huge money maker. There aren`t really a lot of people who want to be priests - it`s pretty common to just have a shrine in your yard and to take care of it on festival days but have a normal day job the rest of the time.
I believe that priestesses have to be related to the priests.

3. how does practicing shinto affect your day-to-day life? (sorry if this question is a little to personal)

I think that you`re looking at this a lot more heavily than people who "practice" do. In general, people in Japan don`t even consider Shinto a religion at all. Almost everyone "practices" - but most people will say that they aren`t religious or that they have no religion when asked.
The only effect on my day to day life is maybe sticking a tiny cup of sake up on the altar thing when I remember. Maybe carrying a charm, having a charm in my son`s kindergarten bag and in my car?