Shintoism is a native Japanese religion. Actually, it is not really an "ism," it is only a teaching. It is not a set of verbal theories or concepts. It is the all-pervading way. Shintoism in Japan is called Kami-no-michi, which means "The Way of the Gods." Shinto is the most powerful influence on the Japanese lives. According to Shinto mythology, deities created Japan and its people. This is how Shintosim came to Japan. Shinto developed from native folk beliefs. It also had its beginning in primitive times, when the Japanese thought that their islands were the only inhabited places on earth. .
Shinto has a great number of followers in their religion. There was an estimated 30 million people in Japan that are Shinto's. That isn't including other countries that followed the Shintoism religion. Today close to 60 million people still hold the beliefs and practices of Shintoism. It was one of the main religions that first developed in Japan, and that is why there are so many followers of it today.
The Shinto's history goes way back to AD 500's. This is when Buddhism influenced the development of Shinto. Confucianism became influential in AD 600's. Both of these religions helped to shape Shinto rituals and doctrines. Unlike Buddhism, Shinto never developed strong doctrines on either salvation, or life after death. But, when Buddhism came in 710-1185 AD, Shinto quickly came under its influence. The two religions both mixed and coexisted at the same time. During the Tokugawa period in 1603-1868, Buddhist sects and neo Confucianism served as the guiding ideology. Shinto was overshadowed at this time. Gradually, certain nationalist scholars, turned more and more towards Shinto as a source of uniquely Japanese identities. In the late 1800's the Japanese government sponsored the form of Shinto called the State Shinto. It stressed patriotic religious ceremonies and the divine organs of the emperor.
