30 Shinto Quiz Questions and Answers

Shinto is an indigenous religious and cultural tradition that originated in Japan. It is deeply rooted in the country’s history, mythology, and folk practices. The term “Shinto” means “Way of the Gods” or “Way of the Kami,” referring to the various deities and spirits that are central to the belief system.

Shinto does not have a single founder or a centralized religious authority. Instead, it is characterized by a collection of beliefs, rituals, and customs that have evolved over centuries. It encompasses a wide range of practices, from individual household worship to large-scale public ceremonies.

At the core of Shinto is the belief in kami, which can be understood as spirits or deities that inhabit various natural elements, objects, and phenomena. Kami can include ancestors, nature spirits, and even the spirits of significant places. These kami are revered and respected, and Shinto rituals often involve offerings, prayers, and purification ceremonies to communicate with and show reverence to the kami.

Shinto is deeply connected to nature and the seasons. Many Shinto rituals and festivals are linked to agricultural cycles, the changing of seasons, and the appreciation of natural beauty. It emphasizes harmony with nature and the belief in the sacredness of the natural world.

Shinto has had a profound influence on Japanese culture, society, and aesthetics. It is closely intertwined with Japanese traditions, arts, and architecture. Shinto shrines, which are places of worship, are scattered throughout Japan and serve as centers for religious and cultural activities.

Article outline

• Part 1: 30 Shinto quiz questions & answers
• Part 2: Download Shinto questions & answers for free
• Part 3: Free online quiz creator – OnlineExamMaker

Part 1: 30 multiple-choice quiz questions and answers about Shinto

1. What does the term “Shinto” mean?
a) Way of the Kami
b) Path to Enlightenment
c) Study of Nature
d) Worship of Ancestors

Answer: a) Way of the Kami

2. What is the central belief in Shinto?
a) Reincarnation
b) Nirvana
c) Karma
d) Kami

Answer: d) Kami

3. What are kami in Shinto?
a) Priests
b) Spirits or deities
c) Sacred texts
d) Meditation techniques

Answer: b) Spirits or deities

4. What is the primary focus of Shinto rituals?
a) Purification
b) Meditation
c) Fasting
d) Sacrifice

Answer: a) Purification

5. Which of the following is a sacred object in Shinto?
a) Mandala
b) Torah
c) Torii gate
d) Yin and yang symbol

Answer: c) Torii gate

6. What are Shinto shrines called?
a) Dojos
b) Temples
c) Pagodas
d) Jinja

Answer: d) Jinja

7. What is the name of the most famous Shinto shrine in Japan?
a) Meiji Shrine
b) Angkor Wat
c) Taj Mahal
d) Great Wall of China

Answer: a) Meiji Shrine

8. Which of the following is a key concept in Shinto?
a) Four Noble Truths
b) Eightfold Path
c) Wabi-sabi
d) Yinyang

Answer: c) Wabi-sabi

9. What is the traditional Japanese art of flower arrangement called?
a) Origami
b) Ikebana
c) Sumo
d) Kabuki

Answer: b) Ikebana

10. Which of the following is a Shinto festival?
a) Diwali
b) Hanukkah
c) Obon
d) Easter

Answer: c) Obon

11. What is the sacred mirror called in Shinto?
a) Kamidana
b) Omamori
c) Kagura
d) Yata no Kagami

Answer: d) Yata no Kagami

12. What is the term for the act of paying respect to the kami in Shinto?
a) Meditation
b) Puja
c) Gassho
d) Kamisama

Answer: c) Gassho

13. What is the name of the sacred Shinto texts?
a) Vedas
b) Sutras
c) Upanishads
d) Kojiki and Nihon Shoki

Answer: d) Kojiki and Nihon Shoki

14. What is the traditional Japanese art of tea ceremony called?
a) Sumo
b) Kabuki
c) Noh
d) Chanoyu

Answer: d) Chanoyu

15. What is the term for the practice of maintaining cleanliness and purity in Shinto?
a) Bushido
b) Seppuku
c) Misogi
d) Harakiri

Answer: c) Misogi

Part 2: Download Shinto questions & answers for free

16. What is the term for the decorative paper streamers used in Shinto rituals?
a) Kimono
b) Yukata
c) Ema
d) Shide

Answer: d) Shide

17. Which of the following is a mythical creature often depicted in Shinto art?
a) Dragon
b) Phoenix
c) Mermaid
d) Unicorn

Answer: b) Phoenix

18. What is the term for the sacred rope used to mark the boundary of a sacred area in Shinto?
a) Obi
b) Hakama
c) Shimenawa
d) Furoshiki

Answer: c) Shimenawa

19. What is the term for the act of honoring and remembering ancestors in Shinto?
a) Obon
b) Yom Kippur
c) Dia de los Muertos
d) Qingming Festival

Answer: a) Obon

20. Which deity is considered the goddess of the sun in Shinto?
a) Amaterasu
b) Izanami
c) Susanoo
d) Tsukuyomi

Answer: a) Amaterasu

21. What is the term for the traditional Japanese art of ink wash painting?
a) Ukiyo-e
b) Sumi-e
c) Noh
d) Rakugo

Answer: b) Sumi-e

22. What is the term for the wooden tablets used to write prayers and wishes in Shinto?
a) Omamori
b) Ema
c) Kamidana
d) Kamisama

Answer: b) Ema

23. What is the term for the act of throwing coins into a designated area in a Shinto shrine?
a) Gassho
b) Misogi
c) Omikuji
d) Temizu

Answer: d) Temizu

24. What is the name of the annual grand sumo wrestling tournament held in Tokyo?
a) Hanami
b) Sakura Matsuri
c) Hanabi
d) Natsu Basho

Answer: d) Natsu Basho

25. What is the term for the art of traditional Japanese puppet theater?
a) Bunraku
b) Noh
c) Rakugo
d) Kabuki

Answer: a) Bunraku

26. Which of the following is not a principle of Shinto?
a) Respect for nature
b) Purification rituals
c) Ascetic practices
d) Ancestor worship

Answer: c) Ascetic practices

27. What is the term for the traditional Japanese art of storytelling?
a) Kabuki
b) Rakugo
c) Noh
d) Bunraku

Answer: b) Rakugo

28. Which of the following is a sacred dance performed in Shinto rituals?
a) Kabuki
b) Noh
c) Kagura
d) Aikido

Answer: c) Kagura

29. What is the term for the wooden household altars used in Shinto?
a) Butsudan
b) Kamidana
c) Torii
d) Mizuko kuyō

Answer: b) Kamidana

30. Which of the following is not a characteristic of Shinto rituals?
a) Emphasis on personal enlightenment
b) Use of purification rites
c) Offering of prayers and offerings
d) Participation in festive processions

Answer: a) Emphasis on personal enlightenment

Part 3: Best online quiz making platform – OnlineExamMaker

OnlineExamMaker makes it simple to design and launch interactive quizzes, calculators, assessments, and surveys. With the Question Editor, you can create multiple-choice, open-ended, matching, sequencing and many other types of questions for your tests, exams and inventories. You are allowed to enhance quizzes with multimedia elements like images, audio, and video to make them more interactive and visually appealing.