page_title: East Asian cultural sphere
section_title: Shintoism
hierarchical_section_title: East Asian cultural sphere / East-Asian culture / Philosophy and religion / Shintoism
caption_attribution_description: Blooming plum trees at the Kitano Tenmangu in Kyoto. Women in kimono praying.
context_page_description: The East Asian cultural sphere, Chinese cultural sphere or Sinosphere encompasses the countries within East and Southeast Asia that were historically influenced by Chinese culture. The region is not to be confused with Greater China, a region that encompasses countries with majority Han Chinese or Chinese-speaking populations. The concept of the East Asian cultural sphere is comparable to conceptions of the Arab world, Greater India, Greater Iran, Latin world, Turkic world, Western world and so on.
  The principal country of the East Asian cultural sphere is China, with Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Macau, Taiwan and Vietnam lying on the peripheries. In particular, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan were prominent tributary states of China from the 14th–19th centuries following extensive prior interactions. Shared features of countries within the East Asian cultural sphere include their philosophies, beliefs, religions, political structures, social institutions, laws, rituals, military doctrines, medicine, science, literature, art, cuisine, architecture and so on. Common belief systems throughout the region include Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism.
context_section_description: Shintoism is the ethnic religion of Japan. Shinto means "Way of the Gods". Shinto practitioners commonly affirm tradition, family, nature, cleanliness and ritual observation as core values.
  Ritual cleanliness is a central part of Shinto life. Shrines have a significant in Shinto, being places for the veneration of the kami (gods or spirits). "Folk", or "popular", Shinto features an emphasis on shamanism, particularly divination, spirit possession and faith healing. "Sect" Shinto is a diverse group including mountain-worshippers and Confucian Shinto schools.
caption: Two women praying in front of a Japanese Shinto shrine.
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