The word "Shinto" is composed of two hieroglyphs that translate as "the path of the gods." The word was first used in 720 in the imperial chronicle Nihongi (Annals of Japan), where it was said: "The emperor believed in the teachings of the Buddha and revered the path of the gods." The choice of the word "path" is not accidental: unlike Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism and other religions that honor their founders and therefore are called in Japanese the word "teaching," Shinto was never created by anyone. This is exactly the way.