BeliefsShintoism is the traditional religion of Japan. It means “the way of the kami”. Shintoism focuses primarily on the beliefs and worship of the Kami. The Kami are spiritual or divine beings. They are sometimes called the “gods” in Shintoism. But rather than the powerful, supernatural beings of Western religion, Kami is more like a mystical, sacred spirit that exists within the creative forces of nature. Shintoism follows the belief of animism, which is the belief that natural and material objects possess a soul. These sacred spirits, called Kami, are able to take the form of different things in nature. The Kami not only exist as spiritual beings, but also take the form of plants and animals, mountains and seas, and all natural phenomena. Unlike many other religions, Shinto has no formalized system of rules or regulations, nor official moral principles. . This is also what makes Shinto so unique and different from many other religions. In Shintoism, purity is very important. Shintoism is based on the belief that no human being is perfect. They believe that all humans are born pure inside. The things that make humans impure are tsumi, which is pollution or sin. Followers of Shinto believe that those who cause impurities are evil spirits and that it is they who cause bad deeds in the world. Myths and Other Stories Several deities appear in several stories, each with their own special and important role. The Shinto creation story tells the story of two main deities, Izanagi and Izanami. As Izanagi and Izanami stood on the floating sky bridge, they thrust a jeweled spear into the ocean. When the spear hit the water, it created an island called Onogoro, which was the mainland of Japan. Izanagi and Izan... middle of paper ...... natural powers. Shinto followers believe the waterfall is the home of the mountain kami spirits, or gods. Many also believe that Nachi Waterfall is the central part of all the supernatural powers and kami of Kumano Mountain. Near the base of the water, the great Kumano Nachi Shrine was built to worship the local kami. Ancient Shinto legends also describe how kami from all over Japan came to Nachi Waterfall every year to purify themselves. Yoshino Mikumari Shrine Yoshino Mikumari Shrine is a Shinto shrine located at the top of Yoshino Mountain. This shrine is dedicated to Ameno Mikumari, a female water deity. Her name Mikumari sounds like the word “mikomori” which means pregnant in Japanese, so she is very well known for her safe delivery. It is believed that she will grant fertility and easy childbirth to those who pray to her..