Japan: An Attempt at Interpretation

Greece-born Lafcadio Hearn spent decades in Japan, marrying a Japanese woman and becoming a Japanese citizen. In this posthumously published book, he examines Japan's religious history, from ancient beliefs into Shintoism, and its resistance to suppression by Buddhism and Christianity. He explores how these traditions persisted despite efforts to westernize Japan during the Meiji Restoration. Even today, over a century later, some of the described traditions and ideas still exist.