Синтоизм

Origin

Shinto (“the way of the gods”) is the original religion of Japan. It has no founder. The veneration of the kami goes back over 2,000 years; the earliest texts are the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki from the 8th century.

Beliefs and practice

Kami are spirits and gods in nature, mountains, trees and ancestors. Purity and respect for nature are important. People visit shrines with torii gates and celebrate festivals (matsuri).

Spread

Shinto stayed largely limited to Japan. For a long time it mixed with Buddhism. From 1868 to 1945 State Shinto was the official state religion.

Today

There are around 80,000 shrines in Japan. Many Japanese visit them, for example at New Year, but do not call themselves believers. That is why numbers are unclear.

Good to know

• Weddings are often held in Shinto style, funerals often in Buddhist style.
• The torii gate marks the entrance to the sacred area.
• Mount Fuji is regarded as sacred.