Shinto

American  

[shin-toh] / ˈʃɪn toʊ /

noun

1. Also Shintoism. the native religion of Japan, primarily a system of nature and ancestor worship.

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adjective

1. Also Shintoistic. of, relating to, or characteristic of Shinto.

Shinto British  

/ ˈʃɪntəʊ /

noun

1. the indigenous religion of Japan, polytheistic in character and incorporating the worship of a number of ethnic divinities, from the chief of which the emperor is believed to be descended

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Other Word Forms

• Shintoism noun
• Shintoist noun

Etymology

Origin of Shinto

< Japanese shintō, earlier shintau < Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese shéndào way of the gods

Example Sentences

In Osaka, Japan, young women dressed in traditional kimono took part in a Shinto ritual procession to mark the end of the year at Sumiyoshi Taisha, one of Japan's oldest Shinto shrines.

From BBC

She was inspired by the Japanese Shinto religion, which teaches that objects have spirits and must be respected as such.

From Los Angeles Times

Visible through one of the windows flanking the front door, she sat so still that she might have been mistaken for a statue, like the lion-dogs that guard the entrance to a Shinto shrine.

From Los Angeles Times

One of its logos was said to resemble a Shinto temple, while the iconic mineral water bottle’s red cap was deemed to be a reference to the Japanese flag.

From BBC

On South Seaside Avenue they saw a torii gate like one sees at a Shinto shrine, historical plaques and a bronze pair of Japanese fishermen gazing at Fish Harbor, where their village once stood.

From Los Angeles Times