Discuss shinto as a reverential form of japanese patriotism and as a religion. can the two be clearly distinguished?

Shinto is a religious type of Japanese patriotism. Other religious presen in Japan are Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism but these religions are imported and do not have the elements of Japanese culture within them. Shino, on the other hand, follows Japan through history, including all of the myths and animism, devotion to nature and its power. Shinto also represents the way of life, it has set of rules that Japanese follow in everyday life because it is proven to be effective over the course of time. So the answer is that these two forms of Shinto can not clearly be distinguished.