What is Shinto?
According to Annual Statistics of Religion issued by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, about 85,000 Shinto shrines are registered in Japan. That means there are more Shinto shrines if unregistered ones are included.
Shrines are sacred institutions where sacred objects are enshrined, and various Shinto rituals are held.
Shinto is Japan’s indigenous religion based on nature worship, ancestor worship, and folk religion. Since there is no founder, no holy scripture, and religious doctrine, its origin is unclear. It dates back to about 660 BC, when the legendary Emperor Jimmu ascended.
Shinto is polytheistic; therefore, people believe the deities reside in every part of nature, such as awe-inspiring mountains, giant trees, and huge rocks.
Most Japanese people take Shinto rituals as a custom, and I think it’s a part of daily life for the Japanese.
