Shinto means 'way of the gods' and it is the oldest religion in Japan. Shinto's key concepts include purity, harmony, family respect, and subordination of the individual before the group. The faith has no founder or prophets and there is no major text which outlines its principal beliefs.
More about: ShintoDefinition
Timeline
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4 BCETraditional founding date of the Ise Grand Shrine in honour of the Shinto goddess Amaterasu.
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478 CEThe founding of the Toyouke shrine at the Shinto Ise Grand Shrine in Japan.
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593 CEThe traditional foundation date of the Shinto Itsukushima Shrine.
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711 CEThe Fushimi Inari shrine, dedicated to the Shinto rice god Inari, is founded near Kyoto.
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712 CEThe Kojiki is written, a collection of oral myths forming the basis of the Shinto religion.
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713 CEThe Japanese Fudoki are composed and record local kami and associated legends.
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720 CEThe Nihon Shoki is written, a collection of oral myths forming the basis of the Shinto religion.
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725 CEThe Usa shrine is founded in northern Kyushu and dedicated to the Shinto god Hachiman.
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c. 759 CEThe Manyoshu or 'Collection of 10,000 Leaves' is written, an important Shinto source and classic of Japanese poetry.
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768 CEOfficial founding date of the Kasuga Taisha Shinto shrine at Nara, Japan.
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794 CEEmperor Kammu builds the Shinto Herano shrine at Heiankyo (Kyoto).
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806 CEThe Shinto shrine of Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha is built on Mount Fuji.
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c. 807 CEImibe-no-Hironari writes the Kogoshui, a collection of oral myths forming the basis of the Shinto religion.
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811 CEThe probable historical date for the foundation of the Shinto Itsukushima Shrine.
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845 CE - 903 CELife of the deified scholar and court official Sugawara no Michizane, aka Tenjin.
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859 CEThe Iwashimizu shrine is built and dedicated to the Shinto god Hachiman in Heiankyo (Kyoto).
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937 CEThe Shinto god Hachiman is officially recognised as a bodhisattva.
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947 CEThe Tenmangu Kitano shrine is founded in honour of Sugawara no Michizane, aka Tenjin.
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987 CESugawara no Michizane is officially deified and given the title Tenjin.
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1046 CEYorinobu claims Hachiman patron god and founder of the Minamoto clan in Japan.
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1135 CEThe Wakamiya Jinja shrine is founded at Kasuga Taisha, Nara, Japan.
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1149 CEThe Dainichiji temple is built near the peak of Mount Fuji by Matsudai Shonin.
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1168 CETaira no Kiyomori significantly remodels the Itsukushima Shrine.
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1191 CEThe Shinto Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine is moved from Yuinogo to Kamakura, Japan by Minamoto no Yoritomo.
