Originally published: Shinto. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.

Provides a succint, authorative introduction to one of the great religious traditions. The book is organised around nine key themes: origins and historical development; aspects of the divine; sacred texts; sacred persons; ethical principles; sacred space; sacred time; death and the afterlife; and society and religion.

Provides a succint, authorative introduction to one of the great religious traditions. The book is organised around nine key themes: origins and historical development; aspects of the divine; sacred texts; sacred persons; ethical principles; sacred space; sacred time; death and the afterlife; and society and religion.

Shinto is finally receiving the attention it deserves as a fundamental component of Japanese culture. Nevertheless, it remains a remarkably complex and elusive phenomenon to which Western categories of religion do not readily apply. A knowledge of Shinto can only proceed from a basic understanding of Japanese shrines and civilization, for it is closely intermingled with the Japanese way of life and continues to be a vital natural religion. This book is a convenient guide to Shinto thought. As a reference work, the volume does not offer a detailed critical study of all aspects of Shinto. Instead, it overviews the essential teachings of Shinto and provides the necessary cultural and historical context for understanding Shinto as a dynamic force in Japanese civilization. The book begins with an historical overview of Shinto, followed by a discussion of Japanese myths. The volume then discusses the role of shrines, which are central to Shinto rituals. Other portions of the book discuss the various Shinto sects and the evolution of Shinto from the Heian period to the present. Because Japanese terms are central to Shinto, the work includes a glossary.

Helen Hardacre offers for the first time in any language a sweeping, comprehensive history of Shinto, the tradition that is practiced by some 80% of the Japanese people and underlies the institution of the Emperor.

J.W.T. Mason presents rare insight not only into the basic beliefs of Shinto, but also into the importance of mythology and creativity to the evolution of our understanding of life and the universe. Mason begins by establishing his view of the development of man, language, and spiritual expression. Early man had an innate, intuitive understanding of the universe. This understanding was expressed through mythology and ritual. Shinto's traditions and practices still reflect this ancient understanding that all things, living and non-living are of divine spirit. Man is an integral part of Great Nature, Dai Shizen. In Shinto, man seeks to re-establish the natural harmony, to return to the path and rhythm of Great Nature, through prayer, ritual, and daily routines. Mason explains the vitality of Shinto in today's modern world. In this valuable work, the reader will find not only an insightful explanation of Shinto beliefs and ritual, but also a challenge to individuals of any spiritual tradition that their religious experience remain rooted in ancient, intuitive wisdom while simultaneously developing conscious understanding and contemporary expression.

In The Essence of Shinto, revered Shinto master Motohisa Yamakage explains the core values of Shinto and explores both basic tenets and its more esoteric points in terms readily accessible to the modern Western reader. He shows how the long history of Shintoism is deeply woven into the fabric of Japanese spirituality and mythology--indeed, it is regarded as Japan’s very spiritual roots--and discusses its role in modern Japan and the world. He also carefully analyzes the relationship of the spirit and the soul, which will provide informed and invaluable insight into how spirituality affects our daily existence. Through the author’s emphasis on the universality of Shinto and its prevalence in the natural world, the book will appeal to all readers with an appreciation of humanity’s place in nature and the individual’s role in the larger society.