Editing Religion in Japan (section)

====Ryukyuan religion====
[[File:Miyako harimizu utaki.jpg|thumb|150px|''Harimizu [[utaki]]'' (Harimizu Shrine), a Ryukyuan shrine in [[Miyakojima, Okinawa|Miyakojima]], [[Okinawa Prefecture]]]]
{{Main|Ryukyuan religion}}
The Ryukyuan religion is the indigenous belief system of the people of [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]] and the other [[Ryukyu Islands]]. While specific legends and traditions may vary slightly from place to place and island to island, the Ryukyuan religion is generally characterized by [[ancestor worship]] (more accurately termed "ancestor respect") and the respecting of relationships between the living, the dead, and the gods and spirits of the natural world. Some of its beliefs, such as those concerning ''[[genius loci]]'' spirits and many other beings classified between gods and humans, are indicative of its ancient [[animism|animistic]] roots, as is its concern with {{nihongo3||まぶい|mabui}}, or life essence.

One of its most ancient features is the belief {{nihongo||おなり神|[[onarigami]]}}, the spiritual superiority of women derived from the goddess [[Amamikyu]], which allowed for the development of a class of ''[[noro (priestess)|noro]]'' (priestesses) cult and ''yuta'' (female [[Mediumship|media]]). This differs from Japanese Shinto, where men are seen as the embodiment of purity. Ryukyuan religion has been influenced by Japanese Shinto and Buddhism, and various Chinese religions. It includes sects and reformed movements such as [[Ijun]] or Ijunism ([[Ryukyuan languages|Ryukyuan]]: いじゅん ''Ijun''; Japanese: 違順教 ''Ijunkyō''), founded in the 1970s.