Shinto is known to be an indigenous religion of the Japanese. There is no written records of this religion until 500 A.D. but people before then passed the traditions down through the generations orally. Shintoism has been closely connected with the value system and the ways of thinking and acting of the Japanese. Their way of viewing the world is in a bright and optimistic manner. .
Modern Shinto is classified into three types. Shrine Shintoism have existed since prehistoric times to the present. Secretarian Shinto is a pretty new movement based on the Japanese religious traditions. Folk Shinto is an aspect of Japanese folk belief which is related to Shinto. It's not an organized religious body or have any sermons. The majority of the Japanese are believers in both Shrine Shinto and Buddhism.
The closest thing to a god in Shintoism is Kami. Kami is hard to explain, They are more like spirits then gods. Kami are not usually represented with images, but are prayed to in spirit. The image of Kami is the light shining of a mirror, or a bare space in the shrine. Kami can be emotions, nature, or a good feeling. ".
Shinto priests perform ceremonies to keep the Kami in their shrines. Their rituals are difficult and detailed. Some of these ceremonies are so old that people cant find the metaphorical significance in them. It can take a priest ten years to get the ceremonies down. Offerings made to Kami are usually food, like water for cleansing and rice for health. .
In the very early years of the religion, there were no priests. Instead there were Shamans, groups of people that believed in spiritual religious powers. The Shamans had a high level of contact with the Kami. They acted as mediums between the Kami and other people. Over time the Shamans became priests. Today, priests are very active in Shintoism. These priests, men or women, are classified into several ranks. The highest rank is gugi, and the lowest rank in gon-negi.
