Shinto has many rituals and rites that make up its character and define what it is to an extent. This article talks about some of those rites, ranging from the rituals of purification to the sacred dances that are performed during festivals and before the altar by the priestesses at special times during the year. It also talks about the mikoshi that are used during festivals to carry the shintai, or connection, to the kami and how it all factors in a sense of the sacred that is integral to Shinto.