The Shinto religion is not a spiritual faith but rather a ritual way of life. Shintoism, or the way of the gods, was not a uniform religion established until the 6th century AD, after Buddhism was introduced to Japan by Korea in 538. However, the Shinto faith began more than a thousand years earlier , around 660 BC, when the world was still pure chaos. . The two deities responsible for restoring order were Izanagi and his wife Izanami. They lowered a jeweled spear into the ocean and when they pulled the spear out, 4 drops fell from the tip of the spear, which fell and formed the main islands of Japan. It was in this new paradise that they decided to live and continue to create other gods and deities. Unlike Christianity or Buddhism, there is no known founder or true origins. However, the creation myth of the Shinto faith is written in the Kojiki (712 CE). In the Kojiki, the sun goddess Amaterasu-no-Omikami is born from the eyes of Izanagi. Amaterasu's descendants will be told that they will be the great ruler of all Japan. Emperor Jimmu then became the first human ruler of Japan. This line is still in effect to this day. There are two major books that were commissioned by the Emperor of Japan during the initial adoption of writing in Japan, the two books are the Nihongi and the Kojiki. The Nihongi and Kojiki are documents on the ancient affairs of Japan. It includes how Japan was created, the first emperor of Japan, the birth of the kami and many other things that we as Americans consider "mythology", but in Japan these books are history, and for many historians, these books represent the purest form of Japanese culture and religion. Because it is one of Japan's oldest written documents, it contains many keys to the... middle of paper ......: It went through its festivals and rituals, as well as the physical characteristics of the shrine itself, that Shintoism has transmitted its characteristic attitudes and values. After World War II, a separation between the government and Shinto took place. This separation has been noted in the constitution and in history. As history shows, the emperor issued a statement banning the use of Shinto symbols for nationalistic reasons and renouncing any rights to divinity. Today, Shintoism is still a strong practice. Many Japanese still use Shinto shrines to get married, or to bless a new child, a car, etc. Buildings, houses and other architectural plots are also known to be blessed for their safety and protection. Hundreds of Shinto ceremonies are still celebrated daily in today's modern life, such as festivals to name just one. In modern life, ancient Shintoism is the main practice still used..