JAPANESE CULTURE AND TRADITIONS

Shinto — The Peaceful Spiritual Heart of Japan

Love of nature is the essence of Shinto

Great Torii Gate at the original site of the Kumano Hongu Shrine, Wakayama Prefecture. You can see the golden emblem of the three-legged crow in the center. (©Diane Tincher)

You can’t help but notice signs of Shinto everywhere in Japan, from impressive torii gates in front of the shrines sprinkled throughout cities and the countryside to tiny conical piles of salt on either side of shop doors.