Shinto is a religion native to Japan. It began in its earlier form around 300 BC, and was more resemblant of its current form around 400 AD.
Shinto is based on the belief of various kami, which are supernatural spirit beings / essences / forces that animate everything in the world. Shinto emphasizes themes such as family, community, tradition, nature, purity, cleanliness, harmony, makoto (sincerity), jinja (shrines), the sacredness of Mount Fuji, and rituals such as the annual matsuri (festival).
Shinto does not have a formal religious doctrine. There are several groups of Shinto scriptures, such as the Kojiki and the Nihongi (a.k.a. Nihonshoki), which were written in the 700s AD, and mainly contain creation accounts, tales of deities and/or people, and recordings of Japanese history. Shinto adherents also study various other early Japanese texts.
Shinto has had and continues to have a great deal of influence on Japanese culture and society, and is the origin of many Japanese customs such as removing shoes before entering a house, and taking a daily bath. It was also the official state religion of Japan from 1871 to 1945.
Although Shinto has a major influence on virtually all Japanese people, only about 4 million people consider themselves Shinto.
If we keep un-perverted the human heart—which is like unto heaven and received from the earth—that is God. (Revelation to Mikado Seiwa)
Do not forget your obligations to ancestors.
Respect your ancestors.
Do not forget the profound goodness of the kami, through which calamity and misfortunes are averted and sickness is healed.
Do not be sluggish in your work.
Even the wishes of an ant reach to heaven.
Leave the things of this world, and come to me daily with pure bodies and pure hearts.
Sincerity is a witness to truth.
Sincerity is the single virtue that binds the divine and man in one. (Jingishoju)
To do good is to be pure. To commit evil is to be impure.
If you pray to a deity with sincerity, you will surely feel the divine presence.
A single sincere prayer moves Heaven. You will surely realize the divine presenc through sincere prayer.
The best and surest way to be one with the divine is sincerity.
The first and surest means to enter into communion with the Divine is sincerity.
With sincerity, there is virtue.
Sincerity is the mother of knowledge.
In governing, let us govern with true sincerity.
Even in one single leaf on a tree, or in one blade of grass, the awesome Deity presents itself.
Our eyes might see un-cleanliness, but let not our minds see un-cleanliness. Our ears might hear un-cleanliness, but let not our minds hear un-cleanliness.