Investigates the complex and fascinating world of Japanese religions through experiential cultural and historical inquiry. Students are encouraged to analyze and reflect on the development of Japanese religious traditions up to the beginning of the twenty-first century, investigating the formation of a typically Japanese belief system which is based on Shinto Buddhism, and evaluating the development of doctrines and practices which have been most influential in Japanese history, including the relations between religious institutions and centres of political power, particularly during the Second World War.