Some shrines are very ancient, predating any written records, while some of the most famous shrines have been built in the last 150 years, and others known since antiquity destroyed in the shrine mergers of the early twentieth century. The function of shrines ranges from enshrinement of the war dead to conferment of easy childbirth or business success, from the development of a region to the prevention of foreign influences. Shrines are built in a variety of architectural styles from the stylised plain wood and thatch simplicity of the Ise Jingu to the richly ornamented lacquerwork of the Gongen-style shrine at Nikko. The universally symbol of shrine Shinto is the torii or archway marking the approach to a shrine. Torii come in many sizes and styles, and shrines vary substantially in layout and appearance, reflecting the era in which they were built or rebuilt, the character of the surrounding district or perhaps features of the natural landscape.
Most shrines have at least a honden, a hall in which the symbol of the kami is enshrined.
Larger shrines have a heiden or hall of offerings, where devotees make ritual offerings to the shrine, and a haiden or hall of worship. There, worship is offered to the deity before it is returned to the shrine. Such matsuri, which alternate serious and worshipful rituals with celebration, entertainment, drinking and eating, involve members of the local community in a variety of roles which vary according to sex, age and status. Most people who identify themselves as followers of Shinto are also Buddhist.