French version
Shintoism
神道
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alternative words: Shinto, Shintou
keywords: religion , shintoism
related topics: Yamato dynasty , Amaterasu , Buddhism , Nihonshoki , Kokugaku , Torii , Shimenawa , Jindai moji
related web sites: http://www.shinto.org , http://www.jinja.or.jp , http://www.kamnavi.net , http://www3.wind.ne.jp/~tnroom/
explanation: Indigenous religion based on a cult of the nature and great figures. Shintoists build no statues but only places to pray like in Islam or Judaism. There exist 2 groups of shintoism: the first, classic one, is tightly integrated into the state system built by Yamato dynasty. Ise-jingu which worships Amaterasu, is an example. The second category, "koshinto" i.e. old shinto, looks like an animism. During the Middle Ages, Shinto gods were frequently confounded with Buddhism (Honji suijaku theory).