Japan’s indigenous religion is Shinto. It is an ethnic religion that has continued from Japan’s ancient times to the present day, and has permeated all aspects of Japanese life and culture, and has the energy to accept foreign cultures including religions and transform them into a Japanese style.   It is said that Takachiho is a birth place of Japanese indigenous religion, Shinto.  There is a story of Shinto origin in the Cave behind of Amano Iwato Shrine, and Amano Yasugawara. In the story, Amaterasu, the Shinto sun goddess, became so outraged by her brother’s cruel pranks that she hid herself in a cave, refusing to come out and depriving the world of her life-giving light. All of the other gods and goddesses gathered to lure her out. They tried everything they could think of to no avail until one goddess performed an outrageously ribald dance that caused the other gods to roar with laughter. Amaterasu left the cave to see what all the fun was about, and in doing so she returned her light to the world.     Unlike many religions, it has no founder or scripture, and is based on the idea that God resides in all things. It is an animistic, ancestral spirit-worshipping folk religion that focuses on myths, eight million gods, nature and natural phenomena. …

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