Shinto, Nature and Ideology in Contemporary Japan is the first systematic study of Shinto's 'environmental turn.' The book traces the development in recent decades of the traditional idea of Shinto as an 'ancient nature religion, ' and a resource for overcoming environmental problems. The volume shows how these ideas gradually achieved popularity among scientists, priests, Shinto-related new religious movements and, eventually, the conservative shrine establishment.

Aike P. Rots argues that central to this development is the notion of chinju no mori the 'sacred groves'...