Shintoism History
The first written record of Shinto beliefs appeared in the Kojiki or records of ancient matters. It formed the basis of this religion. The Kojiki was written from 708 BCE to 714 BCE. Shintoism started about 500 BCE or earlier. The Shinto culture has shared most of their spiritual, cultural, and political roles with Buddhism and Confucianism. Shintoism shows characteristics of a primitive religion, including nature worship and taboos against impurities but it has no system of doctrine. Shinto plays an important role in Japan's ancient mythology and provides information about ancestor and emperor worship. Shinto is viewed as the original religion of Japan. People think about Shinto in two different ways. The first way is that Shinto is a religion that has existed without interruption throughout Japanese history. The second way is that throughout history there has always been Shinto-like beliefs and customs. In Japan there were a set of laws called the Jingiryo, which instituted ceremonies to the Kami. The laws include only those rites which had state sponsorship, but they represent a fair sampling of the ceremonies at that time.
During the ninth century is when the concept to make Shintoism a independent religion emerged. Between the eighth and eleventh century Shinto and Buddhism merged with one another. As the medieval times approached the word Shinto generally meant authority, power, and the activity of a Kami. It was generally interpreted as one part of buddhism. Shinto was drawn into the Buddhist system as one segment of it, and its religious content was replaced with Buddha's doctrine. The Honji Suijaku theory is the most widespread interpretation of the Shinto religious content. It states that the Kami are simply another form of the Buddha, and their form, condition, authority, and activity are nothing, but the form and the acts by which the Buddha teaches, guides, and saves human beings. One might pray for the protection of the Buddha or Kami during difficult times.
The political applicability of the concept of "the land of the Kami" doesn't indicate that Shinto has no religious character, but shows the buddhist which lay behind it and spread all characteristics of every day life. The present day illusion that Shintoism is not a religion derives historically from a misunderstanding of this point.