Shinto is the native religion of Japan, woven through hundreds of years of history and found in shrines and sacred natural places throughout the country. To Kensington resident Shiro Shintaku, the faith’s association with Japanese aggression during World War II was a short-lived perversion of its original peaceful ideals. Shintaku, 62, is studying to become the first Shinto priest in the Washington area. He is also a longtime teacher of martial arts, and assists his wife in working with the International Shinto Foundation to share Japanese culture and beliefs abroad.