[Machine Translation] How was Shintoism, which is said to be Japan's "unique" national religion, born and how was its ideology formed? Before the Meiji Restoration, which led to the separation of Shinto and Buddhism and the abolition of Buddhism, Japan had been in a period of Shinto/Buddhist syncretism for more than 1,000 years. This book carefully traces the process from ancient times to the early modern period, focusing on the medieval period that gave birth to Ryobu and Ise Shinto. The book also explores the new form of Shinto that emerged from the belief in gods prior to the reorganization of the modern era and the interaction with Buddhism and other religions. This is an enlarged edition with a supplementary essay, "Shinto and the Emperor," and new supplementary notes.