I don't have an intrinsically negative opinion of the followers of any religion, including those Japanese who follow Shinto, as long as they do not attempt to force their beliefs on me. Since I am not Japanese, and since Shinto is inextricably bound up with Japanese traditions and identity, I doubt that I'll ever have to worry about that where Shinto is concerned.
I'm not even sure I'd call Shinto a religion. It isn't one in the western sense.
Shinto is about living your life to the fullest and harmony between you, nature, and society. It's not about preparation for the next life. Shinto has four tenets:
1. Respect for family.
2. Respect for nature.
3. Cleanliness of body and mind.
4. Celebration of humanity and nature though the Kami.
There are Shinto texts containing myths, etc. but they are not fundamental to the religion.
There's not much here for an atheist to dislike. You don't actually join Shinto. Living according to the Shinto tenets makes you a Shintoist. You can register with a Shinto Shrine but that's more about getting on the mailing list than about anything else.
Kami are not Gods in the Western sense--that is they are not all-powerful supreme beings that you had better give money to their priests or else. They are the personified divine spark that is in almost every natural object whether animate or inanimate.
Note that Shinto is highly individualized: "Ask 100 Shintoists, get 110 answers". So you'll find that some that have a strong leaning towards the mythology end of the spectrum and some are focused on the lifestyle.
Atheists: What are your opinions of the followers of Shinto?
