Shinto shrines in prewar and wartime Japan / Helen Hardacre with Yoko Suemoto.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hardacre, Helen, 1949- Author.

Suemoto, Yoko, author.

Series:

Harvard East Asian monographs ; 479.

Harvard East Asian monograph series ; 479

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Shinto and state--Japan--History--20th century.

Shinto and state.

Shinto shrines--Japan--Finance.

Shinto shrines.

Shinto and state--History.

Shinto shrines--Finance.

Japan.

Physical Description:

xv, 402 pages : illustrations (chiefly color), color maps ; 24 cm.

Distribution:

Cambridge, Massachusetts : Distributed by Harvard University Press, 2025

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Harvard University Asia Center, 2025.

Summary:

"This book examines the religious and social history of Shinto shrines in prewar and wartime Japan, focusing on the economic, social, and ideological implications of State Shinto. It argues that politicians regarded public funding of shrines as crucial for elevating their "dignity" and for curbing progressive thought and activism. Understanding the social and financial dynamics of both major and smaller shrines is key to comprehending State Shinto's broader impact on Japanese society. The study employs a historical analysis using shrine records, personal diaries, contemporary literature, and government documents. It includes case studies contextualizing events at specific shrines within broader social and political change, personal accounts of priests and laypeople, and statistical analysis of funding patterns. This comprehensive approach provides valuable insights into the role of religious institutions in politics and ideology. By highlighting the nuanced experiences of smaller shrines, their priests, and associated laypeople, the study enhances understanding of State Shinto's reach and influence, contributing to broader discussions on the interplay between religion, politics, and society in modern Japanese history"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Public Funding of Shrines Begins

Shrine Funding at the Local Level

Reflections on Part I

Shrine Funding from 1917 through 1927

Haves and Have-Nots among Shrines

Reflections on Part II

Shrine Funding from 1928 through 1936

New Patterns in Shrine Life

Reflections on Part III

Shrine Funding from 1937 through the end of the war

Praying for victory, coping with conscription

Misogi, Spiritual cultivation, and personal transformation

A wartime shrine priest

Reflections on part IV.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780674302594

0674302591

OCLC:

1515057560

Publisher Number:

CIPO000323543