Matsuri

"In illuminating the pathways to Shinto, the author is also providing important stepping-stones for an enhanced understanding of the nature and workings of Japanese 'religion' and therefore Western conceptual understanding of Japanese society itself." "The book approaches the classification of matsuri through discussions on Shinto, Buddhism, The Shinto-Buddhist synthesis, shrines and temples, deities, Buddhas and Deity-Buddhas." "Although a scholarly work, the author has endeavoured to keep the general reader in mind with 'minimum use or abuse' of scholarly terminology in order to achieve understanding at the widest level." "Accompanying the work are selected plates from P.G.O'Neill's unique photographic record of a variety of matsuri, photographed in the late 1950s, together with his own commentaries, which provide a valuable complement to Herbert Plutschow's text."--BOOK JACKET.