Takao Tsue, 80, is the Honorary Chief Priest of Osaka City's Imamiya-Ebisu Shrine, famous for the Toka Ebisu festival held every January, which attracts over 1 million people over three days. According to legend, the shrine was established in AD 600 by Shotoku Taishi, and written records show that Tsue's ancestors have been priests here for the past 800 years. Recently his son, Akihiro, became the 19th-generation master of the shrine, which is dedicated to the worship of the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu-Omikami, and Ebisu-sama, the sea bream-carrying god of business, and three other deities.
Shinto respects nature and accepts its immense power. Japan has the most earthquakes in the world, and we also have many typhoons, so we know we can never conquer nature. And more importantly, we do not want to.
It is perfectly fine to keep asking the gods and goddesses for things. That's why they exist. Mountains, animals, trees, weeds . . . everything has divine spirits inside them, who are kind and are here to help and protect us.