ANTH 2230 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Post-Occupation Japan, Meiji Period, Legal Separation
30 Nov 2011
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The introduction of buddhism in the 6th century: accepted among the elite class and emperors, became the state religion in the 8th century. Blending shinto and buddhism: continued until 1868. The tokugawa/edo period: arrival of jesuit missionaries, danka seido (the family parishioner system, obligatory buddhist temple membership, important to follow rituals as a form of indentifying themselves as not christian, not that they were strong buddhists, shinto subordinate. See kawano (2005), ritual practice in modern japan, chapter 1 (kami, The official separation of shinto and buddhism (legal separation: state policy, new state and new image, socially shinto and buddhism were still blended, people were forced to recognize the deities but didn"t ignore their buddhist traditions. State shinto as the national ideology: not a religion , state shinto, ensuring nationalism and commitment to the emperor. Tied to ultra-nationalism, political leaders were strong believers of this state religion, encouraged these traditions as a form of patriotic duty.
