The Religions of Japan, from the Dawn of History to the Era of Méiji

This volume offers a sweeping portrait of Japan’s religious landscape from its earliest myths to the dawn of the Meiji era. Drawing on the author’s own journeys across temples, shrines, and monastic quarters, it blends scholarly research with vivid, on‑the‑ground observations, allowing listeners to hear the rhythm of ancient rites and the whispers of folk belief that still echo through the countryside.

The narrative traces how Shintō, Buddhism, and local cults intertwined, shaping a culture where the sacred permeated daily life. As the country opened to foreign ideas, the book captures the tension between tradition and the new moral philosophies stirring among students and reformers. Listeners will be transported to a time when Japan’s spiritual world was both richly layered and on the brink of profound transformation, gaining insight into the forces that forged its modern identity.