Shintoism
The Japanese nationalism involves a wide range of ideas that are of value to the Japanese people. Shintoism has been viewed as a Japanese religion that entails an inner expression of the ancient Japanese culture. It consists of a set of practices that show a relationship between contemporary and ancient Japan (Herbert, 1967). Shintoism is applicable today in the Japanese culture and remains evident in public shrines especially during events and festivals. Therefore, the Japanese nationalism and Shintoism are related in many ways, express the culture of the Japanese people, and is a Japanese phenomenon today. In addition, Shintoism establishes a connection and a feeling of belonging to the Japanese community through the set of practices prevalent in the Japanese way of life. For instance, the Japanese traditions reflect similarities in their relationship with nature whereby the stars, rivers and other things are treated as sacred; this was also a Shintoism practice. The Japanese religions is also embedded in the Shinto practices, therefore it is true that a person is Shinto in the same way he is Japanese as evidenced by the Japenese tradition that borrows heavily from the Shintoism practices.
There also exists a relationship between the Kamis and shrines in Shintoism (Herbert, 1967). This relationship is manifested through the Shintoism believe in spirits just like the Kamis. The Kamis incorporate the Shinto faith in their teachings believing in spirits and its existence in everything. Further, the Shrines are the holy places of worship that the Kamis use to practice their rituals. Shrines are built the Japanese style to ensure the serve the intended purpose as worship places. Therefore, it is evident that Kamis and shrines are important components of Shintoism and serve to promote the values of Shintoism at all levels.
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