Shinto (the Way of the Gods)

A comprehensive survey examines the indigenous kami religion of Japan, detailing source materials and methods for its study. It outlines core beliefs and tendencies such as personification of natural forces, the deification of exceptional humans, and the structure and roles of a diverse pantheon of nature and human-associated deities. The analysis treats mythic narratives as symbolic frameworks and recounts their conventional motifs and sequence. It describes ritual practice and institutions, including the priesthood, shrine organization, worship ceremonies, rites of purification, and forms of magic and divination. Lastly, it surveys moral precepts, purity regulations, ceremonial detail, and the religion's later adaptations and modern sectarian developments.