Answer:
Step-by-step explanation:
Shinto
Being a Shintoist for a traditional Japanese and being Japanese are the same things. The converse is also true: one cannot be a Shintoist without being Japanese. The word Shinto is written with two characters, where shin means "deities" and that means "way". Unlike Buddhism or Christianity, which are called in Japanese "teaching"
, Shinto has no founder. To date, Shintoism has firmly entrenched the title of the original Japanese religion, which is based on the worship of numerous deities kami. The term "Shinto" is first encountered in the chronicle "Nihon Shoki" (720), where an entry for 586 states: "The emperor believed in the teachings of the Buddha and revered the path of the gods." However, ideas about kami deities living in rivers, mountains, trees, stones, and even individual things appear much earlier. By the time the Nihon Shoki was compiled, one can already speak of the presence of a pantheon of deities and a close connection between Shinto and the state. So, the older the deity was, from which this or that aristocratic family originated, the higher the level in the hierarchy he could claim.
There is no concept of sin in Shinto, but it is believed that the performance of certain actions can lead to ritual pollution, called kegare. To cleanse the filth, oharae, rituals are performed and offerings are made to the deities. For Shinto, the division of deities into good and evil, good and harmful is uncharacteristic - all of them can benefit the believer when performing the right rites. Violation of the rules of communication with kami can anger the deity and lead to tatare - revenge on his part. But even in these cases, ritual actions are provided to appease him. The worship of kami is carried out by Shinto priests in shrines called yashiro or jinja. There are more than 80,000 shrines throughout the country. Shinto religious ceremonies and related festivities are called matsuri. Matsuri have become an integral part of the everyday life of the Japanese and have largely lost their sacred meaning.