Shinto

== Practices ==
Shinto [[Orthopraxy|focuses on ritual behavior rather than doctrine]].{{sfnm|1a1=Offner|1y=1979|1p=214|2a1=Cali|2a2=Dougill|2y=2013|2p=10}} The philosophers James W. Boyd and Ron G. Williams stated that Shinto is "first and foremost a ritual tradition",{{sfn|Boyd|Williams|2005|p=33}} while Picken observed that "Shinto is interested not in ''credenda'' but in ''agenda'', not in things that should be believed but in things that should be done."{{sfn|Picken|1994|p=xxxii}} The scholar of religion Clark B. Offner stated that Shinto's focus was on "maintaining communal, ceremonial traditions for the purpose of human (communal) well-being".{{sfn|Offner|1979|p=198}}
It is often difficult to distinguish Shinto practices from Japanese customs more broadly,{{sfn|Cali|Dougill|2013|p=8}} with Picken observing that the "worldview of Shinto" provided the "principal source of self-understanding within the Japanese way of life".{{sfn|Picken|1994|p=xxxii}} Nelson stated that "Shinto-based orientations and values&nbsp;[...] lie at the core of Japanese culture, society, and character".{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=3}}

===''Jinja'' shrines===
{{Main|Shinto shrine}}
{{See also|Shinto architecture}}

[[File:Fushimi Inari - Main gate.jpg|thumb|The main gate to [[Fushimi Inari-taisha]] in Kyoto, one of the oldest shrines in Japan]]

Public spaces in which the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} are worshipped are often known under the generic term {{lang|ja-Latn|[[Shinto shrine|jinja]]}} ("{{lang|ja-Latn|kami}}-place");{{sfnm|1a1=Picken|1y=1994|1p=xviii|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=72|3a1=Earhart|3y=2004|3p=36|4a1=Cali|4a2=Dougill|4y=2013|4p=7}} this term applies to the location rather than to a specific building.{{sfn|Picken|2011|p=21}} {{lang|ja-Latn|Jinja}} is usually translated as "shrine" in English,{{sfn|Earhart|2004|p=36}} although in earlier literature was sometimes translated as "temple",{{sfn|Picken|1994|p=xviii}} a term now more commonly reserved for Japan's Buddhist structures.{{sfnm|1a1=Earhart|1y=2004|1p=36|2a1=Breen|2a2=Teeuwen|2y=2010|2p=1}} There are around 100,000 public shrines in Japan;{{sfn|Breen|Teeuwen|2010|p=1}} about 80,000 are affiliated with the Association of Shinto Shrines,{{sfnm|1a1=Picken|1y=1994|1p=xxxi|2a1=Picken|2y=2011|2p=29|3a1=Breen|3a2=Teeuwen|3y=2010|3p=5|4a1=Cali|4a2=Dougill|4y=2013|4p=8}} with another 20,000 being unaffiliated.{{sfn|Picken|2011|p=29}} They are found all over the country, from isolated rural areas to dense metropolitan ones.{{sfnm|1a1=Earhart|1y=2004|1p=36|2a1=Cali|2a2=Dougill|2y=2013|2p=7}} More specific terms are sometimes used for certain shrines depending on their function; some of the grand shrines with imperial associations are termed {{lang|ja-Latn|jingū}},{{sfn|Bocking|1997|pp=71, 72}} those devoted to the war dead are termed {{lang|ja-Latn|shokonsha}},{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=182}} and those linked to mountains deemed to be inhabited by {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} are {{lang|ja-Latn|yama-miya}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=220}}

Jinja typically consist of complexes of multiple buildings,{{sfn|Littleton|2002|p=68}} with the architectural styles of shrines having largely developed by the [[Heian period]].{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=93}} The inner sanctuary in which the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} lives is the {{lang|ja-Latn|[[honden]]}}.{{sfnm|1a1=Nelson|1y=1996|1p=92|2a1=Littleton|2y=2002|2p=72|3a1=Picken|3y=2011|3p=43|4a1=Cali|4a2=Dougill|4y=2013|4p=7}} Inside the {{lang|ja-Latn|honden}} may be stored material belonging to the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}}; known as {{lang|ja-Latn|shinpo}}, this can include artworks, clothing, weapons, musical instruments, bells, and mirrors.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=170}} Typically, worshippers carry out their acts outside of the {{lang|ja-Latn|honden}}.{{sfn|Cali|Dougill|2013|p=7}} Near the {{lang|ja-Latn|honden}} can sometimes be found a subsidiary shrine, the {{lang|ja-Latn|bekkū}}, to another {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}}; the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} inhabiting this shrine is not necessarily perceived as being inferior to that in the {{lang|ja-Latn|honden}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=9}} At some places, halls of worship have been erected, termed {{lang|ja-Latn|[[Haiden (Shinto)|haiden]]}}.{{sfnm|1a1=Nelson|1y=1996|1p=92|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=42|3a1=Picken|3y=2011|3p=43|4a1=Cali|4a2=Dougill|4y=2013|4p=7}} On a lower level can be found the hall of offerings, known as a {{lang|ja-Latn|[[Heiden (Shinto)|heiden]]}}.{{sfnm|1a1=Nelson|1y=1996|1p=92|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=49|3a1=Picken|3y=2011|3p=43}} Together, the building housing the {{lang|ja-Latn|honden}}, {{lang|ja-Latn|haiden}}, and {{lang|ja-Latn|heiden}} is called a {{lang|ja-Latn|hongū}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=54}} In some shrines, there is a separate building in which to conduct additional ceremonies, such as weddings, known as a {{lang|ja-Latn|gishikiden}},{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=34}} or a specific building in which the {{lang|ja-Latn|kagura}} dance is performed, known as the {{lang|ja-Latn|kagura-den}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=82}} Collectively, the central buildings of a shrine are known as the {{lang|ja-Latn|shaden}},{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=160}} while its precincts are known as the {{lang|ja-Latn|keidaichi}}{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=94}} or {{lang|ja-Latn|shin'en}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=166}} This precinct is surrounded by the {{lang|ja-Latn|tamagaki}} fence,{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=197}} with entry via a {{lang|ja-Latn|shinmon}} gate, which can be closed at night.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=169}}

[[File:Plan of Shinto Shrine.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Diagram of a ''jinja'': 1. ''[[torii]]'', 2. stone stairs, 3. ''[[sandō]]'', 4. ''[[chōzuya]]'', 5. ''[[tōrō]]'', 6. ''[[kagura-den]]'', 7. ''shamusho'', 8. ''[[Ema (Shintō)|ema]]'', 9. ''[[Setsumatsusha|Sessha''/''massha'']], 10. ''[[komainu]]'', 11. ''[[haiden (Shinto)|Haiden]]'', 12. ''[[tamagaki]]'', 13. ''[[honden]]'']]

Shrine entrances are marked by a two-post gateway with either one or two crossbeams atop it, known as {{lang|ja-Latn|[[torii]]}}.{{sfnm|1a1=Offner|1y=1979|1p=201|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=207|3a1=Earhart|3y=2004|3p=36|4a1=Cali|4a2=Dougill|4y=2013|4p=7}} The exact details of these {{lang|ja-Latn|torii}} varies and there are at least twenty different styles.{{sfnm|1a1=Bocking|1y=1997|1p=207|2a1=Picken|2y=2011|2p=43}} These are regarded as demarcating the area where the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} resides;{{sfn|Cali|Dougill|2013|p=7}} passing under them is often viewed as a form of purification.{{sfn|Offner|1979|p=201}} More broadly, {{lang|ja-Latn|torii}} are internationally recognised symbols of Japan.{{sfn|Cali|Dougill|2013|p=7}} Their architectural form is distinctly Japanese, although the decision to paint most of them in [[vermillion]] reflects a Chinese influence dating from the [[Nara period]].{{sfn|Picken|2011|p=20}} Also set at the entrances to many shrines are {{lang|ja-Latn|[[komainu]]}}, statues of lion or dog like animals perceived to scare off malevolent spirits;{{sfnm|1a1=Offner|1y=1979|1p=201|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=104}} typically these will come as a pair, one with its mouth open, the other with its mouth closed.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=104}}

Shrines are often set within gardens{{sfn|Cali|Dougill|2013|p=12}} or wooded groves called {{lang|ja-Latn|chinju no mori}} ("forest of the tutelary {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}}),{{sfn|Rots|2015|p=211}} which vary in size from just a few trees to sizeable areas of woodland.{{sfn|Rots|2015|p=219}} Large lanterns, known as {{lang|ja-Latn|[[tōrō]]}}, are often found within these precincts.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=208}} Shrines often have an office, known as a {{lang|ja-Latn|shamusho}},{{sfnm|1a1=Nelson|1y=1996|1p=71|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=72}} a {{lang|ja-Latn|saikan}} where priests undergo forms of abstinence and purification prior to conducting rituals,{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=148}} and other buildings such as a priests' quarters and a storehouse.{{sfn|Offner|1979|p=201}} Various kiosks often sell amulets to visitors.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|pp=72–73}} Since the late 1940s, shrines have had to be financially self-sufficient, relying on the donations of worshippers and visitors. These funds are used to pay the wages of the priests, to finance the upkeep of the buildings, to cover the shrine's membership fees of various regional and national Shinto groups, and to contribute to disaster relief funds.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=77}}

In Shinto, it is seen as important that the places in which {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} are venerated be kept clean and not neglected.{{sfn|Picken|2011|p=23}} Through to the Edo period, it was common for {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} shrines to be demolished and rebuilt at a nearby location in order to remove any pollutants and ensure purity.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=92}} This has continued into recent times at certain sites, such as the Ise Grand Shrine, which is moved to an adjacent site every two decades.{{sfnm|1a1=Nelson|1y=1996|1p=93|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=163|3a1=Nelson|3y=2000|3p=4|4a1=Hardacre|4y=2017|4pp=79-80}} Separate shrines can also be merged in a process known as {{lang|ja-Latn|jinja gappei}},{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=73}} while the act of transferring the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} from one building to another is called {{lang|ja-Latn|sengu}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=158}} Shrines may have legends about their foundation, which are known as {{lang|ja-Latn|en-gi}}. These sometimes also record miracles associated with the shrine.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=26}} From the Heian period on, the {{lang|ja-Latn|en-gi}} were often retold on picture scrolls known as {{lang|ja-Latn|[[emakimono]]}}.{{sfnm|1a1=Bocking|1y=1997|1p=26|2a1=Picken|2y=2011|2p=44}}

====Priesthood and {{lang|ja-Latn|miko}}====
[[File:Miwa-shrine Yutateshinji A.JPG|thumb|right|{{lang|ja-Latn|Yutateshinji}} ceremony performed by Shinto priests at the [[Ōmiwa jinja|Miwa Shrine]] in [[Sakurai, Nara]]]]
Shrines may be cared for by priests, by local communities, or by families on whose property the shrine is found.{{sfn|Cali|Dougill|2013|p=7}} Shinto priests are known in Japanese as {{lang|ja-Latn|[[kannushi]]}}, meaning "proprietor of {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}}",{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=88}} or alternatively as {{lang|ja-Latn|shinshoku}} or {{lang|ja-Latn|[[Shinkan (official)|shinkan]]}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|pp=168, 171}} Many {{lang|ja-Latn|kannushi}} take on the role in a line of hereditary succession traced down specific families.{{sfnm|1a1=Ueda|1y=1979|1p=325|2a1=Nelson|2y=1996|2p=29}} In contemporary Japan, there are two main training universities for those wishing to become {{lang|ja-Latn|kannushi}}, at [[Kokugakuin University]] in Tokyo and at [[Kogakkan University]] in [[Mie Prefecture]].{{sfnm|1a1=Nelson|1y=1996|1p=29|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2pp=99, 102}} Priests can rise through the ranks over the course of their careers.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=42}} The number of priests at a particular shrine can vary; some shrines can have dozens, and others have none, instead being administered by local lay volunteers.{{sfnm|1a1=Littleton|1y=2002|1p=73|2a1=Picken|2y=2011|2pp=31–32}} Some priests administer to multiple small shrines, sometimes over ten.{{sfn|Picken|2011|p=32}}

Priestly regalia is largely based on the clothes worn at the imperial court during the Heian period.{{sfn|Nelson|2000|p=15}} It includes a tall, rounded hat known as an {{lang|ja-Latn|eboshi}},{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=25}} and black lacquered wooden clogs known as {{lang|ja-Latn|asagutsu}}.{{sfnm|1a1=Bocking|1y=1997|1p=7|2a1=Picken|2y=2011|2p=44}} The outer garment worn by a priest, usually colored black, red, or light blue, is the {{lang|ja-Latn|hō}},{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=53}} or the {{lang|ja-Latn|ikan}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=58}} A white silk version of the {{lang|ja-Latn|ikan}}, used for formal occasions, is known as the {{lang|ja-Latn|saifuku}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|pp=58, 146}} Another priestly robe is the {{lang|ja-Latn|kariginu}}, which is modelled on Heian-style hunting garments.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|pp=89–90}} Also part of standard priestly attire is a {{lang|ja-Latn|hiōgi}} fan,{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=51}} while during rituals, priests carry a flat piece of wood known as a {{lang|ja-Latn|[[Shaku (ritual baton)|shaku]]}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=162}} This regalia is generally more ornate than the sombre garments worn by Japanese Buddhist monks.{{sfn|Nelson|2000|p=15}}

[[File:Kamogawa ceremony 02.jpg|thumb|left|Miko performing a Shinto ceremony near the [[Kamo River]]]]
The chief priest at a shrine is the {{lang|ja-Latn|gūji}}.{{sfnm|1a1=Offner|1y=1979|1p=212|2a1=Nelson|2y=1996|2p=186|3a1=Bocking|3y=1997|3p=39|4a1=Boyd|4a2=Williams|4y=2005|4p=33}} Larger shrines may also have an assistant head priest, the {{lang|ja-Latn|gon-gūji}}.{{sfn|Offner|1979|p=212}} As with teachers, instructors, and Buddhist clergy, Shinto priests are often referred to as {{lang|ja-Latn|[[sensei]]}} by lay practitioners.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=179}} Historically, there were female priests although they were largely pushed out of their positions in 1868.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=123}} During the Second World War, women were again allowed to become priests to fill the void caused by large numbers of men being enlisted in the military.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=124}} By the late 1990s, around 90% of priests were male, 10% female,{{sfn|Littleton|2002|p=98}} contributing to accusations that Shinto discriminates against women.{{sfn|Picken|2011|p=84}} Priests are free to marry and have children.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=124}} At smaller shrines, priests often have other full-time jobs, and serve only as priests during special occasions.{{sfn|Offner|1979|p=212}}
Before certain major festivals, priests may undergo a period of abstinence from sexual relations.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=43}} Some of those involved in festivals also abstain from a range of other things, such as consuming tea, coffee, or alcohol, immediately prior to the events.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=141}}

The priests are assisted by {{lang|ja-Latn|jinja miko}}, sometimes referred to as "shrine-maidens" in English.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=121}} These {{lang|ja-Latn|[[miko]]}} are typically unmarried,{{sfnm|1a1=Nelson|1y=1996|1p=47|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=121}} although not necessarily virgins.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=47}} In many cases they are the daughters of a priest or a practitioner.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=121}} They are subordinate to the priests in the shrine hierarchy.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|pp=124–125}} Their most important role is in the {{lang|ja-Latn|[[kagura]]}} dance, known as {{lang|ja-Latn|otome-mai}}.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=125}} {{lang|ja-Latn|Miko}} receive only a small salary but gain respect from members of the local community and learn skills such as cooking, calligraphy, painting, and etiquette which can benefit them when later searching for employment or a marriage partner.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=125}} They generally do not live at the shrines.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=125}} Sometimes they fill other roles, such as being secretaries in the shrine offices or clerks at the information desks, or as waitresses at the {{lang|ja-Latn|naorai}} feasts. They also assist {{lang|ja-Latn|kannushi}} in ceremonial rites.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=125}}

==== Visits to shrines ====

Visits to the shrine are termed {{lang|ja-Latn|sankei}},{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=152}} or {{lang|ja-Latn|jinja mairi}}.{{sfn|Cali|Dougill|2013|p=11}} Some individuals visit the shrines daily, often on their morning route to work;{{sfn|Cali|Dougill|2013|p=11}} they typically take only a few minutes.{{sfn|Cali|Dougill|2013|p=11}} Usually, a worshipper will approach the honden, placing a monetary offering in a box and then ringing a bell to call the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}}'s attention.{{sfnm|1a1=Offner|1y=1979|1pp=201–202|2a1=Littleton|2y=2002|2p=72|3a1=Cali|3a2=Dougill|3y=2013|3p=11}} Then, they bow, clap, and stand while silently offering a prayer.{{sfnm|1a1=Offner|1y=1979|1p=204|2a1=Breen|2a2=Teeuwen|2y=2010|2p=3|3a1=Cali|3a2=Dougill|3y=2013|3p=11}} The clapping is known as {{lang|ja-Latn|kashiwade}} or {{lang|ja-Latn|[[Hakushu (Shinto)|hakushu]]}};{{sfn|Bocking|1997|pp=43, 90}} the prayers or supplications as {{lang|ja-Latn|kigan}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=96}} This individual worship is known as {{lang|ja-Latn|hairei}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=42}} More broadly, ritual prayers to the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} are called {{lang|ja-Latn|[[norito]]}},{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=135}} while the coins offered are {{lang|ja-Latn|saisen}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=149}} At the shrine, individuals offering prayers are not necessarily praying to a specific {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}}.{{sfn|Cali|Dougill|2013|p=11}} A worshipper may not know the name of a {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} residing at the shrine nor how many {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} are believed to dwell there.{{sfnm|1a1=Offner|1y=1979|1p=202|2a1=Cali|2a2=Dougill|2y=2013|2p=11}} Unlike in certain other religions, Shinto shrines do not have weekly services that practitioners are expected to attend.{{sfn|Earhart|2004|p=12}}

[[File:Shinto Priest Blessing a Car at the Hokkaido Shrine.jpg|thumb|left|A [[Toyota Previa|Toyota Estima]] being blessed at the [[Hokkaidō Shrine]] in a ''kotsu anzen harai'' rite]]

Some Shinto practitioners do not offer their prayers to the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} directly, but rather request that a priest offer them on their behalf; these prayers are known as {{lang|ja-Latn|kitō}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=98}} Many individuals approach the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} asking for pragmatic requests.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=116}} Requests for rain, known as {{lang|ja-Latn|amagoi}} ("rain-soliciting") have been found across Japan, with Inari a popular choice for such requests.{{sfnm|1a1=Bocking|1y=1997|1p=3|2a1=Picken|2y=2011|2p=36}}
Other prayers reflect more contemporary concerns. For instance, people may ask that the priest approaches the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} so as to purify their car in the hope that this will prevent it from being involved in an accident; the {{lang|ja-Latn|kotsu anzen harai}} ("purification for road safety").{{sfnm|1a1=Nelson|1y=1996|1p=116|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=114|3a1=Picken|3y=2011|3p=88}} Similarly, transport companies often request purification rites for new buses or airplanes which are about to go into service.{{sfnm|1a1=Bocking|1y=1997|1p=108|2a1=Picken|2y=2011|2p=88}} Before a building is constructed, it is common for either private individuals or the construction company to employ a Shinto priest to come to the land being developed and perform the {{lang|ja-Latn|jichinsai}}, or earth sanctification ritual. This purifies the site and asks the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} to bless it.{{sfnm|1a1=Nelson|1y=1996|1pp=190–196|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=68|3a1=Picken|3y=2011|3p=88}}

People often ask the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} to help offset inauspicious events that may affect them. For instance, in Japanese culture, the age 33 is seen as being unlucky for women and the age 42 for men, and thus people can ask the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} to offset any ill-fortune associated with being this age.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=183}} Certain directions can also be seen as being inauspicious for certain people at certain times and thus people can approach the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} asking them to offset this problem if they have to travel in one of these unlucky directions.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=183}}

[[File:熱田神社.jpg|thumb|Torii of Atsuta Jingū]][[Pilgrimage]] has long been important in Japanese religion,{{sfn|Kitagawa|1987|pp=xvii–xviii}} with pilgrimages to Shinto shrines called {{lang|ja-Latn|[[junrei]]}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=80}} A round of pilgrimages, whereby individuals visit a series of shrines and other sacred sites that are part of an established circuit, is known as a {{lang|ja-Latn|junpai}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=80}} An individual leading these pilgrims, is sometimes termed a {{lang|ja-Latn|sendatsu}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=158}} For many centuries, people have also visited the shrines for primarily cultural and recreational reasons, as opposed to spiritual ones.{{sfn|Cali|Dougill|2013|p=11}} Many of the shrines are recognised as sites of historical importance and some are classified as [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Sites]].{{sfn|Cali|Dougill|2013|p=11}} Shrines such as [[Shimogamo Jinja]] and [[Fushimi Inari Taisha]] in Kyoto, [[Meiji Jingū]] in Tokyo, and [[Atsuta Jingū]] in Nagoya are among Japan's most popular tourist sites.{{sfn|Rots|2015|p=221}} Many shrines have a unique rubber-stamp seal which visitors can get printed into their stamp book, demonstrating the different shrines they have visited.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=192}}

==={{lang|ja-Latn|Harae}} and {{lang|ja-Latn|hōbei}}===
{{Main|Harae}}
[[File:ItsukushimaBasin7406.jpg|thumb|Shinto rituals begin with a process of purification, often involving the washing of the hands and mouth at the {{lang|ja-Latn|temizu}} basin; this example is at Itsukushima Jinja.]]
Shinto rituals begin with a process of purification, or {{lang|ja-Latn|harae}}.{{sfnm|1a1=Nelson|1y=1996|1p=39|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=45}} Using fresh water or salt water, this is known as {{lang|ja-Latn|misogi}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=124}} At shrines, this entails sprinkling this water onto the face and hands, a procedure known as {{lang|ja-Latn|temizu}},{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=45}} using a font known as a {{lang|ja-Latn|[[temizuya]]}}.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=91}} Another form of purification at the start of a Shinto rite entails waving a white paper streamer or wand known as the {{lang|ja-Latn|haraigushi}}.{{sfnm|1a1=Nelson|1y=1996|1pp=39, 46|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=45}} When not in use, the {{lang|ja-Latn|haraigushi}} is usually kept in a stand.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=45}} The priest waves the {{lang|ja-Latn|haraigushi}} horizontally over a person or object being purified in a movement known as {{lang|ja-Latn|sa-yu-sa}} ("left-right-left").{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=45}} Sometimes, instead of a {{lang|ja-Latn|haraigushi}}, the purification is carried out with an {{lang|ja-Latn|o-nusa}}, a branch of evergreen to which strips of paper have been attached.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=45}} The waving of the {{lang|ja-Latn|haraigushi}} is often followed by an additional act of purification, the {{lang|ja-Latn|shubatsu}}, in which the priest sprinkles water, salt, or brine over those assembled from a wooden box called the {{lang|ja-Latn|'en-to-oke}} or {{lang|ja-Latn|magemono}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=184}}

The acts of purification accomplished, petitions known as {{lang|ja-Latn|norito}} are spoken to the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}}.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=40}} This is followed by an appearance by the {{lang|ja-Latn|miko}}, who commence in a slow circular motion before the main altar.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=40}} Offerings are then presented to the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} by being placed on a table.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=40}} This act is known as {{lang|ja-Latn|hōbei}};{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=53}} the offerings themselves as {{lang|ja-Latn|saimotsu}}{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=148}} or {{lang|ja-Latn|sonae-mono}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=187}} Historically, the offerings given the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} included food, cloth, swords, and horses.{{sfn|Cali|Dougill|2013|pp=13–14}} In the contemporary period, lay worshippers usually give gifts of money to the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} while priests generally offer them food, drink, and sprigs of the sacred {{lang|ja-Latn|[[sakaki]]}} tree.{{sfn|Cali|Dougill|2013|p=14}} [[Animal sacrifice]]s are not considered appropriate offerings, as the shedding of blood is seen as a polluting act that necessitates purification.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=64}} The offerings presented are sometimes simple and sometimes more elaborate; at the Grand Shrine of Ise, for instance, 100 styles of food are laid out as offerings.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=40}} The choice of offerings will often be tailored to the specific {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} and occasion.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=170}}

Offerings of food and drink are specifically termed {{lang|ja-Latn|shinsen}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=170}}
[[Sake]], or rice wine, is a very common offering to the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}}. {{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=150}} After the offerings have been given, people often sip rice wine known as {{lang|ja-Latn|o-miki}}.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=40}} Drinking the {{lang|ja-Latn|o-miki}} wine is seen as a form of communion with the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}}.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=53}} On important occasions, a feast is then held, known as {{lang|ja-Latn|naorai}}, inside a banquet hall attached to the shrine complex.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|pp=40, 53}}

The {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} are believed to enjoy music.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=49}} One style of music performed at shrines is {{lang|ja-Latn|[[gagaku]]}}.{{sfnm|1a1=Nelson|1y=1996|1p=49|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=33}} Instruments used include three reeds ({{lang|ja-Latn|fue}}, {{lang|ja-Latn|sho}}, and {{lang|ja-Latn|hichiriki}}), the {{lang|ja-Latn|yamato-koto}}, and the "three drums" ({{lang|ja-Latn|taiko}}, {{lang|ja-Latn|kakko}}, and {{lang|ja-Latn|shōko}}).{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=33}} Other musical styles performed at shrines can have a more limited focus. At shrines such as [[Ōharano Shrine]] in Kyoto, {{lang|ja-Latn|azuma-asobi}} ("eastern entertainment") music is performed on April 8.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=8}} Also in Kyoto, various festivals make use of the {{lang|ja-Latn|[[dengaku]]}} style of music and dance, which originated from rice-planting songs.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=22}} During rituals, people visiting the shrine are expected to sit in the {{lang|ja-Latn|[[seiza]]}} style, with their legs tucked beneath their bottom.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=214}} To avoid cramps, individuals who hold this position for a lengthy period of time may periodically move their legs and flex their heels.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|pp=214–215}}

===Home shrines===
[[File:Kamidana.jpg|thumb|A {{lang|ja-Latn|kamidana}} displaying a {{lang|ja-Latn|[[shimenawa]]}} and {{lang|ja-Latn|[[Shide (Shinto)|shide]]}}]]
Having seen their popularity increase in the Meiji era,{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=85}} many Shinto practitioners also have a family shrine, or {{lang|ja-Latn|[[kamidana]]}} ("{{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} shelf"), in their home.{{sfnm|1a1=Offner|1y=1979|1pp=200|2a1=Nelson|2y=1996|2p=184|3a1=Littleton|3y=2002|3p=73|4a1=Earhart|4y=2004|4p=11}} These usually consist of shelves placed at an elevated position in the living room.{{sfn|Offner|1979|pp=200–201}} {{lang|ja-Latn|Kamidana}} can also be found in workplaces, restaurants, shops, and ocean-going ships.{{sfnm|1a1=Bocking|1y=1997|1p=85|2a1=Earhart|2y=2004|2p=11}} Some public shrines sell entire {{lang|ja-Latn|kamidana}}.{{sfn|Picken|2011|p=31}}

Along with the {{lang|ja-Latn|kamidana}}, many Japanese households also have {{lang|ja-Latn|[[butsudan]]}}, Buddhist altars enshrining the ancestors of the family;{{sfnm|1a1=Bocking|1y=1997|1p=13|2a1=Earhart|2y=2004|2p=11}} ancestral reverence remains an important aspect of Japanese religious tradition.{{sfn|Picken|2011|p=39}} In the rare instances where Japanese individuals are given a Shinto funeral rather than a Buddhist one, a {{lang|ja-Latn|tama-ya}}, {{lang|ja-Latn|mitama-ya}}, or {{lang|ja-Latn|sorei-sha}} shrine may be erected in the home in place of a {{lang|ja-Latn|butsudan}}. This will be typically placed below the {{lang|ja-Latn|kamidana}} and include symbols of the resident ancestral spirit, for instance a mirror or a scroll.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=198}}

{{lang|ja-Latn|Kamidana}} often enshrine the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} of a nearby public shrine as well as a tutelary {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} associated with the house's occupants or their profession.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=85}} They can be decorated with miniature {{lang|ja-Latn|torii}} and {{lang|ja-Latn|shimenawa}} and include amulets obtained from public shrines.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=85}} They often contain a stand on which to place offerings;{{sfn|Offner|1979|p=201}} daily offerings of rice, salt, and water are placed there, with sake and other items also offered on special days.{{sfnm|1a1=Bocking|1y=1997|1p=85|2a1=Littleton|2y=2002|2p=74}} These domestic rituals often take place early in the morning,{{sfn|Littleton|2002|p=81}} and prior to conducting them, practitioners often bathe, rinse their mouth, or wash their hands as a form of purification.{{sfn|Offner|1979|p=203}}

Household Shinto can focus attention on the {{lang|ja-Latn|dōzoku-shin}}, {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} who are perceived to be ancestral to the {{lang|ja-Latn|dōzoku}} or extended kinship group.{{sfnm|1a1=Bocking|1y=1997|1p=24|2a1=Picken|2y=2011|2pp=75-76}} A small shrine for the ancestors of a household are known as {{lang|ja-Latn|soreisha}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=187}} Small village shrines containing the tutelary {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} of an extended family are known as {{lang|ja-Latn|iwai-den}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=66}} In addition to the {{lang|ja-Latn|jinja}} shrines and the household shrines, Shinto also features small wayside shrines known as {{lang|ja-Latn|[[hokora]]}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=54}} Other open spaces used for the worship of {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} are {{lang|ja-Latn|[[iwasaka]]}}, an area surrounded by sacred rocks.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=65}}

==={{lang|ja-Latn|Ema}}, divination, and amulets===
[[File:Ema of Izumo taissha.jpg|thumb|A selection of wooden {{lang|ja-Latn|ema}} hanging up at a Shinto shrine]]
A common feature of Shinto shrines is the provision of {{lang|ja-Latn|[[Ema (Shinto)|ema]]}}, small wooden plaques onto which practitioners will write a wish or desire that they would like to see fulfilled. The practitioner's message is written on one side of the plaque, while on the other is usually a printed picture or pattern related to the shrine itself.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|pp=25–26}} {{lang|ja-Latn|Ema}} are provided both at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan;{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=25}} unlike most amulets, which are taken away from the shrine, the {{lang|ja-Latn|ema}} are typically left there as a message for the resident {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=26}} Those administering the shrine will then often burn all of the collected {{lang|ja-Latn|ema}} at new year.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=26}}

Divination is the focus of many Shinto rituals,{{sfn|Cali|Dougill|2013|p=18}} with various forms of divination used by its practitioners, some introduced from China.{{sfn|Picken|2011|p=73}} Among the ancient forms of divination found in Japan are {{lang|ja-Latn|rokuboku}} and {{lang|ja-Latn|kiboku}}.{{sfn|Cali|Dougill|2013|p=17}} Several forms of divination entailing [[archery]] are also practiced in Shintō, known as {{lang|ja-Latn|[[yabusame]]}}, {{lang|ja-Latn|omato-shinji}}, and {{lang|ja-Latn|mato-i}}.{{sfn|Picken|2011|pp=43, 73}} Kitagawa stated that there could be "no doubt" that various types of "shamanic diviners" played a role in early Japanese religion.{{sfn|Kitagawa|1987|p=39}} A form of divination previously common in Japan was {{lang|ja-Latn|[[bokusen]]}} or {{lang|ja-Latn|uranai}}, which often used tortoise shells; it is still used in some places.{{sfn|Picken|2011|p=50}}

A form of divination that is popular at Shinto shrines are the {{lang|ja-Latn|[[omikuji]]}}.{{sfnm|1a1=Bocking|1y=1997|1p=138|2a1=Picken|2y=2011|2p=74}} These are small slips of paper which are obtained from the shrine (for a donation) and which are then read to reveal a prediction for the future.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|pp=137–138}} Those who receive a bad prediction often then tie the {{lang|ja-Latn|omikuji}} to a nearby tree or frame set up for the purpose. This act is seen as rejecting the prediction, a process called {{lang|ja-Latn|sute-mikuji}}, and thus avoiding the misfortune it predicted.{{sfnm|1a1=Bocking|1y=1997|1p=139|2a1=Picken|2y=2011|2p=74}}

[[File:Hiromine-jinja by CR 38.jpg|thumb|left|A frame at a shrine where omikuji are tied]]
The use of [[amulet]]s are widely sanctioned and popular in Japan.{{sfn|Earhart|2004|p=12}} These may be made of paper, wood, cloth, metal, or plastic.{{sfn|Earhart|2004|p=12}}
{{lang|ja-Latn|[[Ofuda]]}} act as amulets to keep off misfortune and also serve as talismans to bring benefits and good luck.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=135}} They typically comprise a tapering piece of wood onto which the name of the shrine and its enshrined {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} are written or printed. The {{lang|ja-Latn|ofuda}} is then wrapped inside white paper and tied up with a colored thread.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|pp=135–136}} {{lang|ja-Latn|Ofuda}} are provided both at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=135}} Another type of amulet provided at shrines and temples are the {{lang|ja-Latn|[[omamori]]}}, which are traditionally small, brightly colored drawstring bags with the name of the shrine written on it.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=138}} {{lang|ja-Latn|Omamori}} and {{lang|ja-Latn|ofuda}} are sometimes placed within a charm bag known as a {{lang|ja-Latn|[[kinchaku]]}}, typically worn by small children.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=96}}

At new year, many shrines sell {{lang|ja-Latn|[[Hama Yumi|hamaya]]}} (an "evil-destroying arrows"), which people can purchase and keep in their home over the coming year to bring good luck.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|pp=43–44}}
A {{lang|ja-Latn|[[Daruma doll|daruma]]}} is a round, paper doll of the Indian monk, [[Bodhidharma]]. The recipient makes a wish and paints one eye; when the goal is accomplished, the recipient paints the other eye. While this is a Buddhist practice, darumas can be found at shrines, as well. These dolls are very common.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite book |title= Handy Bilingual Reference For Kami and Jinja |work= Study Group of Shinto Culture |year=2006 |publisher=International Cultural Workshop Inc. |location=Tokyo |pages=39–41}}</ref>
Other protective items include {{lang|ja-Latn|dorei}}, which are earthenware bells that are used to pray for good fortune. These bells are usually in the shapes of the zodiacal animals.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> {{lang|ja-Latn|Inuhariko}} are paper dogs that are used to induce and to bless good births.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> Collectively, these talismans through which home to manipulate events and influence spirits, as well as related mantras and rites for the same purpose, are known as {{lang|ja-Latn|majinai}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|pp=114–15}}

===''Kagura''===
[[File:Ymananashi-oka shrine Daidai Kagura A.JPG|thumb|A {{lang|ja-Latn|kagura}} traditional dance performed at the Yamanashi-oka shrine]]
{{lang|ja-Latn|[[Kagura]]}} describes the music and dance performed for the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}};{{sfnm|1a1=Offner|1y=1979|1p=205|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=81}} the term may have originally derived from {{lang|ja-Latn|kami no kura}} ("seat of the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}}").{{sfn|Kobayashi|1981|p=3}} Throughout Japanese history, dance has played an important culture role and in Shinto it is regarded as having the capacity to pacify {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}}.{{sfn|Kitagawa|1987|p=23}} There is a [[mythology|mythological]] tale of how {{lang|ja-Latn|kagura}} dance came into existence. According to the {{Lang|ja-latn|Kojiki}} and the {{Lang|ja-latn|Nihon Shoki}}, [[Ame-no-Uzume]] performed a dance to entice Amaterasu out of the cave in which she had hidden herself.{{sfnm|1a1=Kitagawa|1y=1987|1p=23|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=81|3a1=Picken|3y=2011|3p=68}}

There are two broad types of kagura.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=81}} One is Imperial kagura, also known as {{lang|ja-Latn|mikagura}}. This style was developed in the imperial court and is still performed on [[Three Palace Sanctuaries|imperial grounds]] every December.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|pp=81–82}} It is also performed at the Imperial harvest festival and at major shrines such as Ise, [[Kamo Shrines|Kamo]], and [[Iwashimizu Shrine|Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū]]. It is performed by singers and musicians using {{lang|ja-Latn|[[shakubyoshi]]}} wooden clappers, a {{lang|ja-Latn|[[hichiriki]]}}, a {{lang|ja-Latn|kagura-bue}} flute, and a six-stringed zither.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=82}} The other main type is {{lang|ja-Latn|sato-kagura}}, descended from {{lang|ja-Latn|mikagura}} and performed at shrines across Japan. Depending on the style, it is performed by {{lang|ja-Latn|miko}} or by actors wearing masks to portray various mythological figures.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|pp=82, 155}} These actors are accompanied by a {{lang|ja-Latn|hayashi}} band using flutes and drums.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=82}} There are also other, regional types of kagura.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=82}}

===Festivals===
[[File:Aoi Matsuri.jpg|thumb|Participants in a procession for Aoi Matsuri in Kyoto]]
Public festivals are commonly termed {{lang|ja-Latn|[[matsuri]]}},{{sfnm|1a1=Littleton|1y=2002|1p=81|2a1=Boyd|2a2=Williams|2y=2005|2p=36|3a1=Picken|3y=2011|3pp=9, 86}} although this term has varied meanings—"festival", "worship", "celebration", "rite", or "prayer"—and no direct translation into English.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=117}} Picken suggested that the festival was "the central act of Shinto worship" because Shinto was a "community- and family-based" religion.{{sfn|Picken|1994|p=xxvi}} Most mark the seasons of the agricultural year and involve offerings being directed to the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} in thanks.{{sfnm|1a1=Bocking|1y=1997|1pp=117–118|2a1=Picken|2y=2011|2p=86}} According to a traditional [[lunar calendar]], Shinto shrines should hold their festival celebrations on {{lang|ja-Latn|hare-no-hi}} or "clear" days", the days of the new, full, and half moons.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=46}} Other days, known as {{lang|ja-Latn|ke-no-hi}}, were generally avoided for festivities.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=46}} However, since the late 20th century, many shrines have held their festival celebrations on the Saturday or Sunday closest to the date so that fewer individuals will be working and will be able to attend.{{sfnm|1a1=Nelson|1y=1996|1p=224|2a1=Earhart|2y=2004|2p=222}} Each town or village often has its own festival, centred on a local shrine.{{sfn|Littleton|2002|p=81}} For instance, the [[Aoi Matsuri]] festival, held on 15 May to pray for an abundant grain harvest, takes place at shrines in [[Kyoto]],{{sfnm|1a1=Bocking|1y=1997|1p=6|2a1=Picken|2y=2011|2p=42}} while the [[Chichibu Yo-Matsuri]] takes place on 2–3 December in [[Chichibu, Saitama|Chichibu]].{{sfn|Picken|2011|p=59}}

Spring festivals are called {{lang|ja-Latn|haru-matsuri}} and often incorporate prayers for a good harvest.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=46}} They sometimes involve {{lang|ja-Latn|ta-asobi}} ceremonies, in which rice is ritually planted.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=46}} Summer festivals are termed {{lang|ja-Latn|natsu-matsuri}} and are usually focused on protecting the crops against pests and other threats.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=132}} Autumn festivals are known as {{lang|ja-Latn|aki-matsuri}} and primarily focus on thanking the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} for the rice or other harvest.{{sfnm|1a1=Bocking|1y=1997|1p=2|2a1=Picken|2y=2011|2p=35}} The {{lang|ja-Latn|[[Niiname-sai]]}}, or festival of new rice, is held across many Shinto shrines on 23 November.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=170}} The emperor also conducts a ceremony to mark this festival, at which he presents the first fruits of the harvest to the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} at midnight.{{sfn|Offner|1979|p=205}} Winter festivals, called {{lang|ja-Latn|fuyu no matsuri}} often feature on welcoming in the spring, expelling evil, and calling in good influences for the future.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=32}} There is little difference between winter festivals and specific new year festivals.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=32}}

[[File:Tomioka hachimangu10.jpg|thumb|left|Procession of the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} as part of the [[Fukagawa Matsuri]] festival in Tokyo]]
The [[Japanese New Year|season of the new year]] is called {{lang|ja-Latn|shogatsu}}.{{sfnm|1a1=Bocking|1y=1997|1p=182|2a1=Littleton|2y=2002|2p=80}} On the last day of the year (31 December), {{lang|ja-Latn|omisoka}}, practitioners usually clean their household shrines in preparation for New Year's Day (1 January), {{lang|ja-Latn|ganjitsu}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=139}} Many people visit public shrines to celebrate new year;{{sfnm|1a1=Offner|1y=1979|1p=205|2a1=Nelson|2y=1996|2p=199|3a1=Littleton|3y=2002|3p=80|4a1=Breen|4a2=Teeuwen|4y=2010|4p=3}} this "first visit" of the year is known as {{lang|ja-Latn|hatsumōde}} or {{lang|ja-Latn|hatsumairi}}.{{sfnm|1a1=Bocking|1y=1997|1p=47|2a1=Breen|2a2=Teeuwen|2y=2010|2p=3}} There, they buy amulets and talismans to bring them good fortune over the coming year.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=208}} To celebrate this festival, many Japanese put up rope known as {{lang|ja-Latn|[[shimenawa]]}} on their homes and places of business.{{sfnm|1a1=Nelson|1y=1996|1p=206|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=163}} Some also put up {{lang|ja-Latn|[[kadomatsu]]}} ("gateway pine"), an arrangement of pine branches, plum tree, and bamboo sticks.{{sfnm|1a1=Nelson|1y=1996|1p=206|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=81}} Also displayed are {{lang|ja-Latn|kazari}}, which are smaller and more colourful; their purpose is to keep away misfortune and attract good fortune.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=93}} In many places, new year celebrations incorporate {{lang|ja-Latn|[[hadaka matsuri]]}} ("naked festivals") in which men dressed only in a {{lang|ja-Latn|[[fundoshi]]}} loincloth engage in a particular activity, such as fighting over a specific object or immersing themselves in a river.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=41}}

A common feature of festivals are processions or parades known as {{lang|ja-Latn|gyōretsu}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|pp=39–40}} These can be raucous, with many participants being drunk;{{sfnm|1a1=Offner|1y=1979|1p=205|2a1=Nelson|2y=1996|2p=133}} Breen and Teeuwen characterised them as having a "carnivalesque atmosphere".{{sfn|Breen|Teeuwen|2010|p=4}} They are often understood as having a regenerative effect on both the participants and the community.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=134}} During these processions, the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} travel in portable shrines known as {{lang|ja-Latn|[[mikoshi]]}}.{{sfnm|1a1=Nelson|1y=1996|1p=140|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=122|3a1=Littleton|3y=2002|3p=82|4a1=Breen|4a2=Teeuwen|4y=2010|4p=4}} In various cases the {{lang|ja-Latn|mikoshi}} undergo {{lang|ja-Latn|hamaori}} ("going down to the beach"), a process by which they are carried to the sea shore and sometimes into the sea, either by bearers or a boat.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=43}} For instance, in the Okunchi festival held in the southwestern city of [[Nagasaki]], the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} of the [[Suwa Shrine (Nagasaki)|Suwa Shrine]] are paraded down to Ohato, where they are placed in a shrine there for several days before being paraded back to Suwa.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|pp=152–154}} These sort of celebrations are often organized largely by members of the local community rather than by the priests themselves.{{sfn|Breen|Teeuwen|2010|p=4}}

===Rites of passage===
The formal recognition of events is given great importance in Japanese culture.{{sfn|Nelson|1996|p=34}} A common ritual, the {{lang|ja-Latn|hatsumiyamairi}}, entails a child's first visit to a Shinto shrine.{{sfnm|1a1=Nelson|1y=1996|1p=161|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=47|3a1=Breen|3a2=Teeuwen|3y=2010|3p=3|4a1=Picken|4y=2011|4pp=87-88}} A tradition holds that, if a boy he should be brought to the shrine on the thirty-second day after birth, and if a girl she should be brought on the thirty-third day.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=47}} Historically, the child was commonly brought to the shrine not by the mother, who was considered impure after birth, but by another female relative; since the late 20th century it has been more common for the mother to do so.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=47}} Another rite of passage, the {{lang|ja-Latn|saiten-sai}} or {{lang|ja-Latn|seijin shiki}}, is a coming of age ritual marking the transition to adulthood and occurs when an individual is around twenty.{{sfnm|1a1=Nelson|1y=1996|1pp=212–213|2a1=Bocking|2y=1997|2p=156}} Wedding ceremonies are often carried out at Shinto shrines;{{sfn|Earhart|2004|p=15}} these are called {{lang|ja-Latn|shinzen kekkon}} ("a wedding before the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}}").{{sfnm|1a1=Bocking|1y=1997|1p=178|2a1=Picken|2y=2011|2p=87}} Prior to the Meiji period, weddings were commonly performed in the home,{{sfn|Bocking|1997|pp=178-179}} although shrines now regard them as an important source of income.{{sfn|Picken|2011|p=87}}

In Japan, funerals tend to take place at Buddhist temples and involve cremation,{{sfnm|1a1=Littleton|1y=2002|1p=92|2a1=Earhart|2y=2004|2p=15}} with Shinto funerals being rare.{{sfn|Picken|2011|p=39}} Bocking noted that most Japanese people are "still 'born Shinto' yet 'die Buddhist'."{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=ix}} In Shinto thought, contact with death is seen as imparting impurity ({{lang|ja-Latn|kegare}}); the period following this contact is known as {{lang|ja-Latn|kibuku}} and is associated with various taboos.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=95}} In cases when dead humans are enshrined as {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}}, the physical remains of the dead are not stored at the shrine.{{sfn|Picken|2011|p=19}} Although not common, there have been examples of funerals conducted through Shinto rites. The earliest examples are known from the mid-17th century; these occurred in certain areas of Japan and had the support of the local authorities.{{sfn|Kenney|2000|p=241}}
Following the Meiji Restoration, in 1868 the government recognised specifically Shinto funerals for Shinto priests.{{sfnm|1a1=Bocking|1y=1997|1p=187|2a1=Kenney|2y=2000|2p=240}} Five years later, this was extended to cover the entire Japanese population.{{sfn|Kenney|2000|pp=240–241}} Despite this Meiji promotion of Shinto funerals, the majority of the population continued to have Buddhist funeral rites.{{sfn|Kenney|2000|p=241}} In recent decades, Shinto funerals have usually been reserved for Shinto priests and for members of certain Shinto sects.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=188}} After [[cremation]], the normal funerary process in Japan, the ashes of a priest may be interred near to the shrine, but not inside its precincts.{{sfn|Picken|2011|p=71}}

Ancestral reverence remains an important part of Japanese religious custom.{{sfn|Picken|2011|p=39}} The invocation of the dead, and especially the war dead, is known as {{lang|ja-Latn|shо̄kon}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=182}} Various rites reference this. For instance, at the largely Buddhist festival of [[Bon Festival|Bon]], the souls of the ancestors are believed to visit the living, and are then sent away in a ritual called {{lang|ja-Latn|shо̄rо̄ nagashi}}, by which lanterns are inserted into small boats, often made of paper, and placed in a river to float downstream.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=183}}

===Spirit mediumship and healing===
[[File:Inako 2006-10-09.jpg|thumb|An {{lang|ja-Latn|itako}} at the autumn Inako Taisai festival at [[Mount Osore]], Aomori Prefecture, Japan]]
Shinto practitioners believe that the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} can possess a human being and then speak through them, a process known as {{lang|ja-Latn|kami-gakari}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|pp=85–86}} Several new religious movements drawing upon Shinto, such as [[Tenrikyo]] and [[Oomoto]], were founded by individuals claiming to be guided by a possessing {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}}.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=86}} The {{lang|ja-Latn|takusen}} is an [[oracle]] that is passed from the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} via the medium.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=197}}

The {{lang|ja-Latn|[[itako]]}} and {{lang|ja-Latn|ichiko}} are blind women who train to become [[mediumship|spiritual mediums]], traditionally in Japan's northern [[Tohoku]] region.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=63}} {{lang|ja-Latn|Itako}} train under other {{lang|ja-Latn|itako}} from childhood, memorialising sacred texts and prayers, fasting, and undertaking acts of severe asceticism, through which they are believed to cultivate supernatural powers.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=63}} In an initiation ceremony, a {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} is believed to possess the young woman, and the two are then ritually "married". After this, the {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} becomes her tutelary spirit and she will henceforth be able to call upon it, and a range of other spirits, in the future. Through contacting these spirits, she is able to convey their messages to the living.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=63}} {{lang|ja-Latn|Itako}} usually carry out their rituals independent of the shrine system.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|pp=63–64}} Japanese culture also includes spiritual healers known as {{lang|ja-Latn|ogamiya-san}} whose work involves invoking both {{lang|ja-Latn|kami}} and Buddhas.{{sfn|Bocking|1997|p=136}}