Practically Religious: Worldly Benefits and the Common Religion of Japan [Paperback]

Ian Reader (Author), George J., Jr. Tanabe (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Observers of the religious scene in Japan today will find the views of Practically Religious constantly confirmed at temples and shrines. The authors are firmly rooted in the real world of the actual conduct of religious life, and readers will find this common-sense approach, gracefully and clearly written, a welcome and readable treatment of a pervasive theme of Japanese religious life ... This study makes a solid contribution to ethnographic research on Japanese religions by taking the search for practical benefits seriously and demonstrating convincingly that genze riyaku is an important key to many aspects of Japanese religious life." -- Japan Quarterly --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

Practically Religious:

Worldly Benefits and the Common Religion of Japan Ian Reader and George J. Tanabe, Jr.

Praying for practical benefits (genze riyaku) is a common religious activity in Japan. Despite its widespread nature and the vast numbers of people who pray and purchase amulets and talismans for everything from traffic safety and education success to business prosperity and protection from disease, the practice has been virtually ignored in academic studies or relegated to the margins as a product of superstition or an aberration from the true dynamics of religion. Basing their work on a fusion of textual, ethnographic, historical, and contemporary studies, the authors of this volume demonstrate the fallacy of such views, showing that, far from being marginal, the concepts and practices surrounding genze riyaku lie at the very heart of the Japanese religious world. They thrive not only as popular religious expression but are supported by the doctrinal structures of most Buddhist sects, are ordained in religious scriptures, and are promoted by monastic training centers, shrines, and temples.

Benefits are both sought and bought, and the authors discuss the economic and commercial aspects of how and why institutions promote practical benefits. They draw attention to the dynamism and flexibility in the religious marketplace, where new products are offered in response to changing needs. Intertwined in these economic activities and motivations are the truth claims that underpin and justify the promotion and practice of benefits. The authors also examine the business of guidebooks, which combine travel information with religious advice, including humorous and distinctive forms of prayer for the protection against embarrassing physical problems and sexual diseases. Written in a direct and engaging style, Practically Religious will appeal to a wide range of readers and will be especially valuable to those interested in religion, anthropology, Buddhist studies, sociology, and Japanese studies.

Ian Reader teaches at the Scottish Centre for Japanese Studies, University of Stirling, Scotland, and until recently was also a senior research fellow at the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies, Copenhagen.

George J. Tanabe, Jr., is professor and chair in the Department of Religion, University of Hawai'i. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: University of Hawaii Press (May 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824820908
• ISBN-13: 978-0824820909
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #718,376 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb analysis of Japanese religion, December 29, 1999

By 

Daniel Metraux (staunton, va United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Practically Religious: Worldly Benefits and the Common Religion of Japan (Paperback)

Professors Tanabe and Reader provide a superb analysis of Japanese religion. Tanabe and Reader are highly respected scholars in the field of Japanese and Asianb religions and their collective works could well provide the nucleus for any library on the subject. The authors amply demonstrate that there is a distinct commonality to Japanese religion that underlies the rich varieties and apparent contradictions of Japanese religious practice. They provide a myriad of examples and case studies to demonstrate the this-worldly nature end emphasis on personal gain / advantage aspects of Japanese religious culture.

To put it simply, this is one of those books that make you say: "By Jove, I've got it." The authors cut through the complexities of Japanese religion to clearly exhibit the common core. I used this book as a text for my course on Japanese religion and the students really benefitted from the experience.

I have also read Ian Reader's work on the Japanese sect, Aum Shinrikyo. He understands Aum far better than any other scholar and I commend his Aum books to both the scholar and general reader. Reader's books are written in a clear and lively manner.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical and theoretical benefits for religious knowledge, August 24, 2001

By 

Bernhard Scheid (Wien) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Practically Religious: Worldly Benefits and the Common Religion of Japan (Paperback)

Awareness of economic needs as well as a tendency to playfullness make modern religions in Japan (whether Buddhist or Shinto is not important in this case) much more successful than in most other industrialized nations. This book shows by a number of detailled cases and examples how that works and has always been working. At the same time Western observers begin to understand that praying for worldly benefits is not at variance with sincere religious belief, as a Western perception of religion often presupposes. Rather, it is an intrinsic part of religious activity, and the fact that it is not ridiculed in the Japanese context is probably one factor for the still dominant role of religion in this country.