Shinto

Shinto is the native religious tradition of Japan, focused on the kami, sacred spirits or presences associated with nature, ancestors, and important places and forces. It has no single founder and no one central scripture, and it emphasizes ritual purity, respect for the kami, and harmony with the natural world. Practice is centered on shrines and on communal festivals rather than on a formal creed. For much of its history it has coexisted and intermingled with Buddhism in Japan.

Shinto does not have a single central scripture comparable to those of some other religions, but several early texts are foundational. The Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters, 712 CE) and the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan, 720 CE) record creation myths, the deeds of the kami, and imperial genealogies, while the Norito are formal ritual prayers recited in ceremonies. These works preserve much of the mythology and liturgy of the tradition. The Kojiki, Nihon Shoki, and Norito can be read in the U-God library.

Kami are the sacred beings, spirits, or powers at the heart of Shinto, and they can be associated with natural features like mountains, rivers, and trees, with ancestors, with revered figures, or with abstract forces. They are generally understood as numerous and present throughout the world rather than as a single supreme creator. People show respect to kami through offerings, prayers, and festivals, often seeking blessing, protection, or purification. The concept is broad, and kami are not typically viewed as all-powerful or morally absolute in the way of a single monotheistic God.

Common Shinto practices include visiting shrines, ritual purification (such as rinsing the hands and mouth before approaching a shrine), making offerings, and offering prayers to the kami. Seasonal and community festivals, called matsuri, are a major expression of the tradition and mark events in the agricultural and communal calendar. Life events such as births and weddings are often marked with Shinto rites, while funerals in Japan are frequently Buddhist. Purity, gratitude, and renewal are recurring themes throughout these practices.

No, Shinto has no single founder and no historical figure who established it, which distinguishes it from many other major traditions. It developed gradually from the local beliefs, myths, and ritual customs of ancient Japan. The term Shinto, meaning roughly the way of the kami, came into wider use partly to distinguish these native practices from Buddhism after Buddhism arrived in Japan. Its forms have varied considerably across regions and historical periods.