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

See Examples For:

Shinto

Some argue that a mosque much larger than the nearby Japanese Shinto shrine is disrespectful.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

Early samurai patronage of theater, painting and tea ceremonies, as well as their religious support of Buddhism, Shinto and even Christianity, are all on display.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 7, 2026

When the crossing appears, Yatsurugi's priest holds a Shinto ritual on the ice, something Miyasaka has been able to do just 11 times in over four decades in the job.

From Barron's ● Feb. 15, 2026

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 ● Nov. 18, 2024

Amongst the common mental traits, mention is made of the Shinto religion, "the simplest and most rustic form" of which still survives in Liu-Kiu.

From Man, Past and Present by Alfred Court Haddon