Religion: worshipping at a Shinto shrine

A description of how to worship at a Shinto shrine, as well as a description of the religion of Shinto in general.

When it comes to the old religions from the Orient, very few have the mystery and mysticism associated with them that Japanese religion of Shinto does. A religion without a founder, written scriptures, or body of law, Shinto has been described in the past as a mix of nature worship, shamanism, fertility rites, divination, and hero worship.
Shinto dates back to around the 8th century BC, while the Yamato dynasty still ruled over Japan. The name "Shinto" is derived from the Chinese words "shin tao", which means "The Way of the Gods", and reflects a lot of the views that Shinto holds about the world in general. Practitioners of Shinto believe that the world is inhabited by spirits known as "kami", who can either be the guardians of a clan or area or are simply the spirit of an object or creature.
One of the most obvious forms of Shinto worship are the Shinto shrines, which have become synonymous with Oriental mysticism. The shrines can be simple or ornate, and are built out of tribute to the kami that takes residence within them. To worship at a shrine is to pay respect to the kami within, and to pray that they will grant your sincere request.

To worship at a Shinto shrine, you would first walk through a special gateway known as a "Tori", which is considered to be the gateway of the gods. Likely, you would do this either barefoot or wearing sandals... you may also have bathed in a river near the shrine beforehand (or at least washed your hands and face in the water.)

Once in the shrine, you should stand up straight and toss a coin into the offering box to pay tribute. Some people will skip breakfast or another meal once a month and use the money that they would have spent on that meal as an offering, but that isn't required. After you've made your offering, call upon the kami of the shrine by clapping your hands together two or three times at chest level. (Make sure that you align your palms and fingers, and clap flat-handed... don't clap like you're giving applause.)

After calling upon the kami, keep your hands together with your fingers pointing up and bow slightly. To bow correctly, you should bend at the waist and have your eyes closed; keep your legs straight and the upper part of your body rigid. This shows restraint on your part, and also pays respect to the kami of the shrine. While you bow, you may make a wish to the kami in hopes that they will fulfill it; wishes are usually along the lines of having a happy marriage, or the healing of an illness, or for aid to come to another. Wishes must be made with faith, and should support the affirmations of the Shinto religion (the affirmations being family tradition, love of nature, cleanliness, and the worship of kami and ancestors.)

Should you wish to pay further homage to the kami, a good way to do it is with an origami flower or animal (such as a swan.) Origami is considered to be "paper of the spirits", and is often left at Shinto shrines. Out of respect for the spirit of the tree that gave its life to create the paper, true oragami should always be folded into its shape without any extra cuts to assist it.