Shinto is the oldest religion of Japan. Unlike Buddhism which was imported from China, Shinto has it’s origins in Japan. There are thousands of Shinto shrines located around the country. Shinto celebrates the forces and spirits of nature and human endeavors. There are many religious festivals and ceremonies throughout the year that celebrate the changing seasons, the harvest, wealth production, fertility, sake making, the planting of rice, the birth of children and other events.  The Shinto pantheon is composed of many gods and goddesses that preside over the natural world and are summoned to the assistance of humans in all their undertakings. Shintoism fosters many diverse beliefs in supernatural powers, divination and the spirit world.