Explaining Okami's Shinto Roots

"Okami is fondly remembered do to its unique paint-style graphics, memorable characters, epic story, and distinctive battle mechanics that utilize a paintbrush. The director of the game, Hideki Kamiya, recently mentioned that he hopes to one day make a sequel, which has gotten many fans excited. As kids, players often thought of Okami as a fantasy world, but older fans now know that Nippon is actually ancient Japan and that much of that games' content is inspired by Japan's polytheistic religion of Shintoism." - click image for article