Shinto Branches

Shinto has two major schools of thought, the local focused Shrine Shinto, and the national focused State Shinto.

Shrine Shinto

Shrine Shintoism focuses on local shrines holding the primary authority in the religion. Shrines are led by a disparate system of priests and independently run religious organizations on a local level. While fealty is absolutely paid to the emperor and the nation, individual shrines are not under his direct control. Primary focus is put of local kami and one's ancestors over any sort of national tier issues. Shrine Shinzuiists tend to be more isolationist and inward focused politically. A small number of Shrine Shinto followers take a more militant approach against State Shinto. Groups like Tetsuo's Disciples seek to dismantle industrialization and nationalization of everything, and return Japan to a more simple localized society.

State Shinto

State Shinto was formed shortly after the Meiji Restoration as a means by which to unite the nation under a single creed, concept, and belief. State Shinto sought to merge the government and the national religion into a single entity with the emperor as the head. Mobilization of economy, war, etc. was no longer a merely political action, but a spiritual one as well. State Shinto sought to organize the disparate shrines under a single system and doctrine, and have priests of these shrines be directly answerable to the state. State Shintoists are more likely to focus on Japan's divine right to unite the world under the emperor, who they see as the only legitimate ruler of all of mankind. This viewpoint has come to shape much of Foreign Policy. More extreme State Shintoists believe that the need for diplomacy and international trade hinders the inevitable conquest of East Asia supported by those in the Tohokai - Japanese Fascism. These more extreme followers are in greater support of more authoritarian action against dissidents, including Shrine Shintoists.