Book Overview

Written by Basil Hall Chamberlain, a Western scholar deeply engaged with Japanese culture and religion during the early 20th century, Shinto (The Way of the Gods) serves as a comprehensive, yet accessible, introduction to the Shinto religion. It delves into the core beliefs, historical development, rituals, and the profound integration of Shinto with Japanese societal norms and aesthetics. The book explains Shinto concepts like Kami (the divine, found in nature and ancestors), purity, ritual, and sacred spaces. It also explores how Shintoism coexisted (and interacted, including the controversial state Shinto during the Imperial period) with Buddhism, which was introduced from the continent. Essentially, it aims to provide a clear understanding of how Shinto shapes and has shaped Japanese worldview and daily life for centuries.