Worshipping the emperor - not good. But Ancestor worship is superior to worshipping a god in my book. Hell, even the emperor. At least we know they exist!

The Japanese are very tradition minded, so this should persist for a few more centuries. The Japanese will preserve it as a curiosity if nothing else. It is increasingly a museum piece.

I find it hard to really respect any religion which demands worship of and blind obedience to another human being,as in this case,the Emperor. I do not believe the Pope is Holy,either. Any divine force worth believing in does not need a middleman!

Any faith that can be linked to katanas has to be cool in some way right!? I am Connor McLeod of the Clan McLeod!

Shinto (The way of the gods or spirits):folk religion of Japan, maybe derived from Taoism. Started c7th century BC by a tribe entering Japan via Korea. Emphasis on worship of ancestors, ancient heros & divinity of the emporor. Has no code of moral behaviour only a code of traditional practices: purification (exorcism), prayer, fasting, offerings (alms) and magic. Historical scripture is avalable only to high priests. Nationalist ideals. 130 sects. Believe that Japanese are the superior race destined to rule the world & all other people to be their slave. Loyal to the Emperor (a god whom they pray to), they must obey his wishes. Before Buddhism arived in Japan they use to preform human sacrifices. The Shinto have over 50 gods, 7 are suprime hevenly dieties ( 4 of which are paramount) led by the Sun goddess (Ama-terasu). Believe in hell, the devil, demons (some sects worship these), luck gods, but may not believe in God. Reincarnation is ussually not believed in, burn the dead so their souls are free to go to heaven. Meditaion: imagining empty space (derived from Taoism) is used only by high prists.

Shinto is a way of life for the Japanese. It is an excellent religion in combination with Buddhism, but as far as modern religions go, it is a bit dated. The shinto shrines scattered throughout Japan are gorgeous however.

To many gods

Shinto as religion created a wantonly violent, chaotic, amoral culture of bushido. It believed in adnegation because it was irrelevant.

Too much superstition without any philosophy.