2 - Shinto Popular Books and the Ise Faith in Japan's 17th and 18th Centuries

This presentation explores the treatment of Ise Shrine in Shinto popular books published during Japan’s 17th and 18th centuries. Initially, Ise Shrine was dedicated to the worship of the deity Amaterasu for the imperial family. However, in the 11th century, shrine priests began to expand this faith beyond the court and imperial family to commoners, particularly in the Kinai region. By the 17th century, pilgrimages to Ise Shrine had become widespread. Educational Shinto books written in accessible hiragana emerged, promoting Shinto’s superiority over Buddhism and Confucianism. These books also highlighted the deity Sarutahiko, who was associated with Ise Shrine, and integrated practical life lessons with Shinto teachings. Works from the 18th century further popularized Shinto by emphasizing moral conduct. Overall, these publications positioned Shinto as Japan’s spiritual and moral foundation, influencing the development of kokugaku (nativist studies emphasizing the indigenous over the foreign). Through faith in deities like Amaterasu and Sarutahiko, these books aimed to cultivate spirituality and ensure divine protection in daily life.