Yoshida Shinto (吉田神道)
"Yoshida Shinto" is a school of Shinto perfected during the Muromachi period by Kanetomo YOSHIDA, a Shinto priest from the Kyoto Shida-jinja Shrine. Also referred to as Yuiitsu Shinto (One-and-Only Shinto), Sogen Shinto.
According to "Yuiitsu shinto myobo yoshu," Shinto is categorized into three types - Honjaku engi Shinto or Sharei engi Shinto, Ryobu Shugo Shinto, and Gempon Sogen Shinto, and the third Gempon Sogen Shinto is considered the orthodox Shinto, passed on by Amenokoyane no mikoto, the sosen shin (ancestral god) of the Yoshida family. According to the book, in Gempon Sogen Shinto, '"Gen" illustrates the gen gen of unforeseen ying and yang. "Hon" illustrates the honbon of ichinen misho (thoughts yet to be met). (An omission) "So" defines god as the origin in Ikki mibun.
"Gen" defines god as a form of wako dojin (mingling with the world by hiding one's true talent or knowledge).'
Therefore, 'this is the one and only true shinto since the beginning of the nation.'
It is characterized by being composed of two religions, Kenro kyo and Inyu kyo, and while "The Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters)," "The Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan)," and the "The Sendai kujiki" (Sanbu honsho (three books on ancient Japan)) describe the lessons of Kenro kyo, and Inyu kyo are said to be based upon "Tengenshimpen shimmyokyo," "Chiggenshintsu shimmyokyo," and "Jingenshinryoku shimmyokyo" (Sanbu shinkyo), it is not likely to be uniquely Kanetomo's, and includes principles and rituals from Esoteric Buddhism, Taoism, Onmyodo (way of Yin and Yang; an occult divination system based upon the Taoist theory of the five elements), etc.
With Jingihaku, Kanetomo countered the Shirakawa family by ingratiating the Imperial Court and shogunate to use the title, Jingikanryochojo, in order to create deities for local shrines with 'sogen senji' (decrees of foundations and origins), and received authority to create ranks for Shinto priests, and subsequently gained a powerful influence in the world of Shinto. Although it eventually declined, it ruled the shrines and Shinto priests nationwide during the Edo period as Shinto honjo.