Modern Japanese Religions

This course surveys Shinto, Buddhism, Christianity, and the New Religions in modern and contemporary Japan, tracing their transformations from the Meiji period to the present. Students will examine themes such as nationalism, gender, popular culture, and everyday practice through historical texts, ethnographies, and visual media. Creative projects reimagine religious practices and narratives, using artistic expression alongside cultural and historical analysis to illuminate the role of religion in modern Japanese society.