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The Kami Way of the goddesses and gods, the indigenous faith of the Japanese people, Shintoism has neither a founder nor sacred scriptures like the Bible or the Sutras. As old as the people themselves, Shinto was deeply rooted in Japanese traditions which included Creation myths, folklore about the kami, as well as, the Kojiki and Nihongi sacred texts. Shintoism is an optimistic faith that believes all humans are intrinsically good and that all evil is caused by evil spirits. In Shinto everything is spiritual with no separation between the material and spiritual. The architecture of the shrines, Noh theatre, calligraphy, and the court dance music (Gagaku) are all important features of Shinto. Most of Shinto rituals focus on prayers (either at a home altar or at a shrine), purification, and offerings to keep away evil spirits. Since animals sometimes do mischievous or harmful things to people, Shinto rites are performed to console and placate the animal spirits. In the university medical facilities of some universities, Shinto rites are performed to console the spirits of animals killed during experiments.
Talismans to ensure good health, safe travel, success
in business endeavors, doing well in school examinations, trouble-free childbirth, and many other things are obtainable at Shinto Shrines. Before opening a factory or a nuclear power plant, Shinto Rites are also preformed to purify
buildings to ensure that in the future everything will operate safely and function correctly.
There is no written Shinto code of ethics and morals. In 285 ACE, the teachings of the esteemed Chinese philosopher Kong Fuzi (Confucius), who lived in China from 551-479 BCE, made their way from Korea to Japan. Over the centuries, the important principles of consideration, humanity, loyalty and morality (applicable to both individuals and countries) were instilled into Shintoism. Chu Hsi Confucianism also greatly influenced Japanese education, government, and society. During the sixth century, the complex theories of Mahayana or "Greater Vehicle" Buddhism were introduced into the Japanese culture via China and Korea. Even though the ruling nobles of Japan at that time welcomed Buddhism as the new state religion, the common people continued to prefer Shinto. After some early differences, the followers of Shinto and Buddhism were able to reach a complementary accord between their belief systems. Most Japanese municipalities have at least one Buddhist temple or monastery displaying sacred objects, while larger areas like Kyoto have several thousand of them. Buddhism temples in Japan typically have main halls, lecture halls for meetings, multi-storied pagodas, entrance gates to the temple grounds, temple bells, and cemeteries with ancestors' graves...Continue on
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Shintoism
Shinto Shrine Kami Way 
