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65 of 70 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
It has its flaws, but its well worth a read, June 10, 2000
This review is from: Shinto the Kami Way (Paperback)
This is perhaps the best known (and most widely available)introductory treatise of the Shinto religion. While Ono's The Kami Way certainly deserves its notoriety, those who wish a deeper philosophical coverage of this poorly understood religion will be a bit disappointed, for Dr. Ono really just scratches the surface and seldom goes beyond the topics of shrine architecture, ceremonial trappings, and local and national shrine administration. The mythology/cosmology of Shinto is briefly addressed, and I believe that the average western reader will find the nature of Shinto even more perplexing after reading this book for that very reason: Ono calls Shinto "a religion without theology", but no religion is without theology, regardless of how ancient it is (for example, I would have found a few examples of instances of local nature spirits being transformed into Buddhist saints most informative). For those totally unfamiliar with Shinto, I will make this rough comparison: imagin if the ancient European pagan religions had survived the Christian domination of the late Middle Ages and continued to exist in organized forms, occasionally incorporating Christian concepts into their own respective worldviews and religious ceremonies (as Shinto did to a limited extent with the imported Buddhist religion). Despite its scant coverage of actual religious matters, The Kami Way lucidly describes the mundane matters of this faith's temporal administration (and provides much coverage of shrine conditions and inter-provincial/national relations, with an emphasis on comparison between standards before and after World War Two). I highly reccommend this book as an introduction for the curious.
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An informative and visually appealing guide to the Shinto religion, October 23, 2005
"Shinto: The Kami Way," by Sokyo Ono, is an overview of Shinto, which the author defines as "the indigenous faith of the Japanese people." William P. Woodard is given an "in collaboration with" credit on the title page, and also contributes a preface. The book also features illustrations by Sadao Sakamoto, who is identified on the title page as a Priest of the Yasukuni Shrine. The title page and back cover offer some information on author Ono, who is identified as a Professor at Kokogakuin University, a Shinto university in Tokyo, and as a Lecturer for the Association of Shinto Shrines.
The foreword by Hideo Kishimoto notes that this book was first published in 1960; the copyright page notes further that the Tuttle edition has a copyright date of 1962, and has gone through 30 printings as of 2003. The book is generously illustrated not only with Sakamoto's drawings, but also with many black-and-white photographs. The book is relatively short (116 plus xii pages), and the main text is divided into five chapters: "The Kami Way," "Shrines," "Worship and Festivals," "Political and Social Characteristics," and "Some Spiritual Characteristics." The text covers many Shinto topics: mythology, important historic texts, the use of symbolic artifacts, the distinctive gateways known as torii, shrine architecture, the priesthood, home worship, sacred dances, Shinto's centuries-old relationship with Japanese Buddhism, emperor worship, tree worship, sacred mountains, ethics and more.
Ono also discusses the kami, which he describes as "the objects of worship in Shinto." In his preface, Woodard states that translating the word "kami" as "god" is misleading, and suggests that the word "kami," rather than being subject to a problematic translation, should simply be incorporated into the English language. Ono concludes the book by noting that while Shinto is an ethnic faith specific to the Japanese people, "it possesses a universality which can enrich the lives of all people everywhere." This is a fascinating and well-written book, and the text is well complemented by the many illustrations. I especially enjoyed the photos of the serene-looking Shinto temples. In a relatively small space Ono conveys a sense of the epic history and evolution of Shinto, as well as its enduring power and appeal. I found the book not only educational, but also inspiring in a subtle yet satisfying way.
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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Meet One of the Lesser Known Religions, November 25, 1999
This review is from: Shinto the Kami Way (Paperback)
Shinto is one of those religions that usually gets short listed at the back of books on world religions, if it gets in at all, yet it's crucial to understanding some of the underlying currents in Japanese thinking and behavior. This work is a well organized, straight-forward introduction to the subject. The real explanatory gem, however, is found in chapter five, where Shinto beliefs on a number of key issues are both clearly and concisely outline, and contrasted with traditional Western views.
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