"Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion."
An overview of the origins and development of Shintoism, including the influence of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism on its development.
Kami: The concept of deities or spirits in Shintoism; the objects of worship in Shinto shrines.
Izumo Taisha: One of the oldest and most important Shinto shrines, located in Shimane prefecture.
Yayoi period: A historical period in Japan characterized by the introduction of rice agriculture and metalworking, and the emergence of Shinto rituals and beliefs.
Kojiki and Nihon Shoki: Two ancient chronicles that document the origins of Japan and the history of Shintoism.
Meiji Restoration: A period of major political and cultural change in Japan, during which Shintoism was promoted as a national religion.
State Shinto: The official form of Shintoism that existed in Japan from the late 19th century until the end of World War II, which attempted to blend traditional Shinto beliefs with modern nationalism.
Shinto architecture: The distinctive style of temples and shrines in Shintoism, which often feature wooden structures, torii gates, and stone lanterns.
Kagura: A traditional form of Shinto dance and music, performed at festivals and ceremonies.
Shinto festivals: Various celebrations and rituals throughout the year, such as Hatsumode, Setsubun, and Obon.
Shinto and ecology: The ecological and environmental perspectives of Shintoism, which values the interconnectedness of nature and human beings.
Imperial Shintoism: This is the form of Shintoism that was practiced by the Japanese imperial family and its supporters before World War II. It was closely linked with the state and the military.
Shrine Shintoism: This is the most common form of Shintoism practiced by ordinary people in Japan. It involves worshipping at local shrines and paying respects to family ancestors.
Folk Shintoism: This is a form of Shintoism that is practiced in rural areas and is closely tied to local customs and traditions.
Sectarian Shintoism: This includes a variety of smaller schools and sects of Shintoism, each with its own unique practices and beliefs.
Shinshukyo Shintoism: This refers to the new religious movements that have emerged in Japan that incorporate elements of Shintoism, Buddhism, and other religions.
Koshitsu Shintoism: This is the form of Shintoism that is practiced by members of the imperial family and is closely tied to its history and lineage.
Ryobu Shintoism: This is a syncretic form of Shintoism that combines elements of Esoteric Buddhism with Shintoism.
"Scholars sometimes call its practitioners Shintoists, although adherents rarely use that term themselves."
"There is no central authority in control of Shinto, with much diversity of belief and practice evident among practitioners."
"Shinto revolves around supernatural entities called the kami."
"The kami are believed to inhabit all things, including forces of nature and prominent landscape locations."
"The kami are worshipped at kamidana household shrines, family shrines, and jinja public shrines."
"The latter are staffed by priests, known as kannushi, who oversee offerings of food and drink to the specific kami enshrined at that location."
"This is done to cultivate harmony between humans and kami and to solicit the latter's blessing."
"Other common rituals include the kagura dances, rites of passage, and seasonal festivals."
"Public shrines facilitate forms of divination and supply religious objects, such as amulets, to the religion's adherents."
"Shinto places a major conceptual focus on ensuring purity, largely by cleaning practices such as ritual washing and bathing, especially before worship."
"Little emphasis is placed on specific moral codes or particular afterlife beliefs, although the dead are deemed capable of becoming kami."
"The religion has no single creator or specific doctrine, and instead exists in a diverse range of local and regional forms."
"Although historians debate at what point it is suitable to refer to Shinto as a distinct religion, kami veneration has been traced back to Japan's Yayoi period (300 BCE to 300 CE)."
"Religious syncretization made kami worship and Buddhism functionally inseparable, a process called shinbutsu-shūgō."
"The earliest written tradition regarding kami worship was recorded in the 8th-century Kojiki and Nihon Shoki."
"During the Meiji era (1868 to 1912), Japan's nationalist leadership expelled Buddhist influence from kami worship and formed State Shinto, which some historians regard as the origin of Shinto as a distinct religion."
"Shinto is primarily found in Japan, where there are around 100,000 public shrines."
"Numerically, it is Japan's largest religion, the second being Buddhism."
"Most of the country's population takes part in both Shinto and Buddhist activities, especially festivals, reflecting a common view in Japanese culture that the beliefs and practices of different religions need not be exclusive."