The subject of this volume is the historical development of shinto and national thought in premodern and modern Japan. After examining the first instances of shinto-confucian syncretism in the early Edo period, the author investigates the function of shinto as a religious system to legitimize political power and explores how during the late Edo period this culminates in the concept of a specific Japanese national polity(kokutai). Though the main caesurae in the process of modern Japanese history (e.g. Meiji restoration and the end of the Pacific War in 1945) play a dominant role...

Myths are cultural and historical documents of extraordinary importance. Often they represent the oldest written relics still extant from a particular culture. They enable us to glimpse at the worldviews of ancient civilizations. Yet, myths are more than mere relics of bygone times: they are still alive and continue to matter in present-day society. This volume contains proceedings of the Seventh Annual International Conference on Comparative Mythology held in Tubingen in May 2013. The book explores ancient and contemporary myths from diverse cultural backgrounds. Leading mythologists...