Shinto |
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30 July 2024 - Zürich
Helen Hardacre's history of Shinto is a fairly exhaustive and balanced look at a belief system that like fascism and nazism claims blame as a root cause of the second world war. It is nevertheless a very old tradition, complete with animal gods and deification of the emperor. Hardacre for the most part retains the detached voice of a historian for the first 1500 years of Shinto's history, and although she has clear opinions presents the arguments of both sides of disputed positions. Where she veers into the excited participant or proponent is in discussing modern day festivals she's attended. Still I would recommend the tome as a good introduction to anyone interested in learning more about Japan's home grown religion.
