Southern and Eastern Asia

•Shintoism is a belief system that is unique to Japan.

•It has not spread to other parts of the world.

•Shintoism was once the official state religion of Japan and is still widely honored among the Japanese today.

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Origin

•Shintoism is based on the traditional Japanese teaching that everything in nature contains kami, or the spirit of a god.

•Many Japanese believe that the mountains and rivers in Japan are home to these kami and are considered very sacred.

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​Kami

•Shintoism follows no single, primary god or text.

•Instead, Shintoists follow daily rituals that help connect them to nature and to their ancestors.

•Shintoists are expected to respect and honor all life and nature.

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​Beliefs

•Shintoism also teaches that physical purity (cleanliness) is more important than moral purity.

•Followers must perform many ceremonies and rituals to cleanse and purify the world.

•Since Shinto offers no ideas of a moral code, a god, or life after death, many Japanese who practice Shinto also practice another religion as well.

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​Beliefs