ISE, Japan (AP) — Deep in the forests of the Japanese Alps, Shinto priests keep watch as woodsmen dressed in ceremonial white chop their axes into two ancient cypress trees, timing their swings so ...

- What is the issue? Sumo grew out of ancient Shinto religious rituals and its origins can be traced back over 2,000 years, according to some historians. The practice of banning women from the ring ...

In thousands of Shinto shrines across Japan last week, sober-faced girls in white robes and vermilion skirts practiced the stately postures of the ritualistic Kagura dance. Musicians wearing eboshi ...

The world of sumo could be rocked this month if Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi presents a trophy in the ring, where women have traditionally been banned. The issue Sumo grew out of ancient Shinto ...