Religion in Ancient Japan

This course offers an introduction to the richness of “Japanese” religion in ancient times. The lectures present an overview of developments in religious beliefs and ritual practices on the Japanese archipelago from their obscure beginnings to the ninth century CE.While occasionally referencing early modern and contemporary ideas and beliefs, the course traces developments of Japanese thought and practice from the Jōmon through the early Heian periods. The course thus addresses native and imported religious and philosophical ideas, beliefs, and practices that helped shape early Japanese culture and society.