Pagan, Shinto & Spiritual Book Reviews July 2016

Stuart D. B. Picken, Shinto: Japan’s Spiritual Roots

(Kodansha America, Inc, 1982)

A word that comes up a lot in Japanese general conversation is natsukashii. This adjective basically means something like, “evoking a strong, bitter-sweet sense of nostalgia.” When I received my copy of Stuart D.B. Picken’s 1982 book Shinto: Japan’s Spiritual Roots, the first thing I thought was natsukashii.

Being born in the 80s, I keenly remember my school library being full of books like this one: hardback, A4 sized, and full of large, full-colour, beautiful photographs. The photos are definitely one of the biggest selling points of Japan’s Spiritual Roots; you just won’t find many other books out there on Shinto with such a large number of high resolution photos of rare and unusual of Japanese spiritual life.

The written content of Japan’s Spiritual Roots too. It is a solid introduction to Shinto beliefs, history and practises, and also covers a few less common topics here and there as well. However, it does show its age a little, with some parts expressing the common approach to Japanology at the time. In the past there was a tendency (among both Japanese and non-Japanese commentators alike) to emphasise Japan’s “exoticism” and “uniqueness” in the world, and this book occasionally lapses into this territory. However, for the most part it is a balanced and enthusiastic account of Shinto.

Now only really available secondhand, Japan’s Spiritual Roots is worth a look by collectors of writings on Shinto, especially those who appreciate good photography. But for casual readers and those looking for a basic introduction to Shinto, the not-so-portable size of this book and its slightly dated content may make it less appealing. Still, a nice book and one I will be keeping on my shelf.