Abstract: The formation and development of Shintoism in Japan is a process in which nature worship and spiritual beliefs were factitiously transformed into political mythology, theoretical religion and national philosophy out of nationalist purposes in the historical context of ancient East Asia. Shintoism, with the characteristics of serving politics and even being a political thought itself, constituted the ideological basis of ancient Japanese politics. Shintoism was the spiritual pillar supporting the internal and foreign affairs of ancient Japan, which had a great impact on ancient Japanese politics. Shintoisms political influence on modern Japan is a continuation of ancient times. Ancient Japan understood and absorbed Chinese ideology and culture based on Shintoism. The development of the history of ancient Japanese thought is a process of returning to Shintoism and moving forward in the process of nationalization while absorbing Chinese thought.

Key words: Shintoism, East Asia, ancient Japan, political thought, Shintoism research system