WORLD RELIGIONS

Detailed explanation-1: -Shinto (Japanese: , romanized: Shintō) is a religion from Japan. 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.

Detailed explanation-2: -Shinto is an optimistic faith, as humans are thought to be fundamentally good, and evil is believed to be caused by evil spirits. Consequently, the purpose of most Shinto rituals is to keep away evil spirits by purification, prayers and offerings to the kami.

Detailed explanation-3: -Shinto is the oldest surviving and widely practiced Japanese religion, but unlike a lot of religions, Shinto doesn’t have a clear origin story. It appears to have evolved out of different cultural practices from ancient Japan, with limited historical records.

Detailed explanation-4: -Sect Shintō (Kyōha Shintō) is a relatively new movement consisting of 13 major sects that originated in Japan around the 19th century and of several others that emerged after World War II.

Detailed explanation-5: -No one knows how old Shinto is, for its origins lie deep in prehistory. Its main elements probably appeared from the 4th century BCE onward. Although most Shinto worship relates to earthly kami, Shinto texts written around 700 CE also mention heavenly kami, who are responsible for creating the world.