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Mediators between Kami and the People: What is the position of the Shinto priests?
Shinto is a unique polytheistic religion in Japan based on ancestral rituals and nature worship. According to Japanese mythology, the Imperial Family and many other clans are descended from the kami 神, so successive emperors have important roles as the priest-kings. Shinto shrines have a strong regional character, and unlike monotheistic churches, each has its own traditions and ways of thinking, which are completely different from those of monotheistic churches. As Shrines Shinto, the most common and traditional Shinto, has no specific doctrines or scriptures, no absolute precepts and no guru, so understanding the reality of the faith can be difficult, especially for people who have never visited Japan. Kami…