Annotated Bibliography

1. Aston, W.G. (1907). Shinto: The Ancient Religion of Japan. London: Archibald Constable & Co.
Retrieved from a Google Books (books.google.com) search; using term ‘Shinto’ in the subject field under Advanced Search. This book is part of the Harvard Library, and is referenced as a reliable source. Has good information about sociological history of Japan and it’s emigration from northern Asia. It also discusses a few early religious literatures, not written until after the 5th century. Discusses general traits of Shinto and Kami.

2. Aston, W.G. (1905). Shinto: the Way of the Gods. London: Longmans, Green and Co.
Retrieved from Google Books; using the term ‘Shinto’ in the subject field of an Advanced Search. This book is located in the Harvard Library, and I believe is a credible source. This is a very early work about Shinto, and is often cited in other sources, although some theories may be considered out of date. This book talks about the features of Shinto, the pantheon, morals, and worship practices.

3. Bocking, Brian. (2001). The Oracles of the Three Shrines: Windows on Japanese Religion. New York: Routledge Publishing.
Retrieved from Google Books; using the term ‘Shinto’ in the subject field of an Advanced Search. The Oracles of the Three Shrines refers to sanja takusen which is a Shinto object found in Shrines. It is a sort of scroll, usually paying homage to three main gods, texts or divinities. This book discusses the meaning and varieties of these different scrolls, from early to later times.

4. Bowring, Richard. (2005). The Religious Traditions of Japan, 500-1600. Cambridge University Press.
Retrieved from Google Books; using the term ‘Shinto’ in the subject field of an Advanced Search. This is published by a University, so I feel this source is credible. This book mainly highlights the transitions of Buddhism and Shinto throughout different eras. So there is useful information about the connection of Buddhism and Shinto, including the arrival of Buddhism and how it melded with the kami worship already present.

5. Breen, John; Teeuwen, Mark (eds.) (2000). Shinto in History: Ways of the Kami. Hawaii: University of Hawaii Press.
Retrieved from Google Books; using the term ‘Shinto History.’ This is published by a University, so I feel it is a credible source. A few chapters here are very useful. The first chapter is about Shintoism in the present and past; the second is about Shinto and Taoism; third about Shinto and the natural environment.

6. Evans, Ann Llewellyn. (2002). Shinto Norito: A Book of Prayers. Trafford Publishing.
Retrieved from Google Books; using the term ‘Shinto History.’ This book has excerpts and exact translations of kami prayers. Forward has good information about Shinto means to people, also talks about how it is embedded into their lives and culture. Has 2 full prayers to read through, in kanji, English, and Romaji.

7. Goucher, C. L. (2004). Early belief systems. Bridging world history, 5. South Burlington, VT: Annenberg/CPB. http://www.learner.org/resources/series197.html.
Retrieved using First Search: WorldCat, with keyword ‘Shinto History’. This is a video in a series. Unit 5: Early Belief systems. Description: Shintoism, which is ‘animism and shamanism’, is contrasted with ‘philosophical and ethical religions’ of Greece and China. A short segment discusses Shinto, but it is useful. They discuss the idea of Kami, who and what they are; the ‘political shaman’ of Shinto, emperor also was chief priest.

8. Grapard, Allen G. (2002). Shrines Registered in Ancient Japanese Law: Shinto or not? Nagoya: Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, pg 209-232.
Retrieved July 28, 2008, from Japanese Journal of Religious Studies: http://www.nanzan-u.ac.jp/SHUBUNKEN/publications/jjrs/pdf/635.pdf. This essay describes the process in which shrines were brought into the government during various restorations. Three theories are discussed as to why shrines were adapted into government: shrines were strategic for military campaigns; shrines were used in socio-economic struggles between ruling families; and Buddhism played a major role.

9. Kitagawa, Joseph M. (1966). Religion in Japanese History. Columbia University Press.
Retrieved from Google Books; using the term ‘History of Japanese Religion.’ This book is published by a University, so I believe it can be considered a liable source. There are a few useful chapters in this book, especially the first and second chapters. The first deals with early Japanese, the second with the religious development during the Heian time period.

10. Knox, George William. (1907). The Development of Religion in Japan. New York: The Knickerbocker Press.
Retrieved July 27, 2008, from www.questia.com search for ‘Shinto’. http://www.questia.com/library/religion/shinto.jsp - This book is a compilation of lectures by a Professor, as the American Lectures on the History of Religions series. This source is very useful. There are two lectures that are primarily useful for my topic, being lecture 1: Primitive beliefs and rites and 2. Shinto, the way of the gods. It gives a good description of what archaeologists have determined how ancient people lived, to try and understand how religion and belief developed.

11. Nelson, John K. (1997). A Year in the Life of a Shinto Shrine. Seattle: University of Washington Press.
Retrieved from www.questia.com; using the search term ‘Shinto.’ This source was published by a University and has been quoted and discusses much on internet sources, so I feel this source is credible. Good information about kami worship, and how kami are important to their culture and Shinto. This book is good for a look at modern Shinto practices.

12. Nobutaka, Inoue(Ed.). (2003). Shinto – A short history. New York: Routledge Curzon.
Retrieved from www.questia.com; using the search term ‘Shinto’. This book is originally written and edited by Japanese, and translated into English, so I feel that is source is credible. Two chapters are useful in particular: Introduction and the first chapter, Ancient and Classical Japan: Dawn of Shinto. Has useful maps in the beginning as well. Describes how kami worship can be considered a religion. Discusses possible beginnings of Shinto.

13. Philippi, Donald L. (1990). Norito: A Translation of the Ancient Japanese Ritual Prayers. Princeton University Press.
Retrieved from Google Books; using the term ‘Shinto’ in the subject field of an Advanced Search. This is published by a University, so I feel this source is credible. This is a ‘limited’ preview online, and only has the introduction and pre notes. Information is pertaining to difference of eastern/western culture and how the west views the east.

14. Picken, Stuart D.B. (1994). Essentials of Shinto: An Analytical Guide to Principal Teachings. Greenwood Publishing Group.
Retrieved from Google Books; using the term ‘History of Japanese Religion.’ First chapter is about History of Shinto, so first few sections will be useful. Second chapter is about mythology, which will be useful to read to understand some of the myths, and thus moral lessons of Shinto. Chapter four has to do with Shrines and Kami, and may be informative as well.

15. Teeuwen, Mark and Scheid, Bernhard. (2002). Tracing Shinto in the History of Kami Worship. Nagoya: Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, pg 195-207.
Retrieved July 28, 2008, from Japanese Journal of Religious Studies: http://www.nanzan-u.ac.jp/SHUBUNKEN/publications/jjrs/jjrs_cumulative_list.htm - I found this using a Google search for Japanese Religious Journals. I then found it was connected to the Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture, located in Nagoya, Japan. I believe that this is a very credible source, as it is also associated with a university. The Japanese Journal of Religious Studies offers a database online, where all articles can be found available to read. This article is very informative and leads to other sources. Beginning is used to discuss Kuroda Toshio (1981, 1996) who leads to a commonly held belief that Shinto is basically a synonym for kami (which are the demons, gods, of their culture.) Kuroda’s theories and reasons are discussed in brief. Then the different articles of the Journal Volume are briefly described, which is useful to look of which would be worth reading.

16. Yamakage, Motohisa. (2007). The Essence of Shinto: Japan’s Spiritual Heart. Kodansha International.
Retrieved from Google Books; using the term ‘Shinto’ in the subject field of an Advanced Search. This is a book written by a Japanese man, making it accessible to western readers, and I feel it is credible to consider his opinion. Chapter Two is useful, with basic information about what Shinto is. The following chapters discuss different aspects including Jinja, Misogi, Harai, Koshinto, as well as the training method of Chinkon.