Shintoism is a traditional Japanese animism religion. Japanese people have believed there are gods in nature, such as great mountains, rivers, rocks, and even the animals and people that have superpower. They built shrines to show their respect and have worshipped them and coexisted with nature.

What is enshrined?

It is said the Shinntou god is not always stationed in shrine, but comes down when necessary. Various things are enshrined as the god object. It is different by shrine and not opened, but they say a mirror, which represents the Sun, is enshrined in most shrines.

The Japanese emperor’s ancestor is tolled goddess of the Sun

Sun goddess Amaterasu is enshrined in ise jinnguu (god palace), not called jinnja (shrine), where is the headquarter of Japan’s all shrines. In old books the emperor’s legitimacy as the ruler of Japan is written as a mythology and the emperor’s authority in the same family has been continuing over 1,500 years.

Shintoism is behind Japanese life

”Shintou” is written in kannji as 神道(god road). “道,”which is read “michi, do(u)/tou” is added to the names of Japanese traditional martial art and culture lessons as judou, aikidou, kenndou, sadou, kadou,etc, Japanese culture place importance on spiritual beauty. So all these lessons begin with and end in manners.