CEVAP:

Shinto which is a uniquely Japanese religion evolved at this period. Shinto, which reflects the “Way of the Gods” and is still common in Japan, emphasized the role of the forces of nature, which affect Japan so profoundly (earthquakes, tsunamis, and so forth). Shinto mostly focuses on ritual purification to remove any impurity caused by contact with physical dirtiness, sex, childbirth, wounds, and death. The current Japanese insistence on baths and cleanliness probably derives from this aspect of Shinto. The most famous Shinto shrine at Ise is consecrated to the sun goddess, helping to reinforce the loyalty to the imperial family associated with that deity.