As far as his family’s religion, he notes a Buddhist temple next to his grandfather’s home in Shiga prefecture. Yoshida says, “I like both Shinto’s appreciation of nature and ancestors ...

The Shinto Association of Spiritual Leadership was formed in 1969 as an affiliate of the Association of Shinto Shrines, an influential group representing about 80,000 shrines nationwide.

As far as Shinto shrines go (there are about 400 in Kyoto), this one is pretty special. Perched on a wooded hillside in southern Kyoto, Fushimi Inari is a 1,300-year-old temple dedicated to Inari ...