Shinto

The word "Shinto" itself is made up of two other words, "shin" and "to." "Shin" means something around "spirit." "To" means something like "natural" force. Shinto is a spirituality of Japan and the people in Japan. The Shinto religion is very much interconnected to the Buddhist religion as well, yet they had many conflicts. It is a set of practices to make a connection with present day Japan and ancient Japan. Shinto was first recorded in the 8th century in Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, but these earliest recordings are not at all related to a unified "Shinto Religion." Shinto today is a term that applies to the public shrines suited for various purposes such as war memorials, harvest festivals, romance, and historical monuments. Practitioners express their diverse beliefs through a standard language and practice, adopting a similar style in dress and ritual, dating from around the time of the Nara and Heian Periods.