Introduction

The Japanese Religions Group of the American Academy of Religion promotes the academic study of religious traditions in all periods of Japanese history.  The Group explores Shinto, Buddhism, Confucianism, folk religion, Christianity, and new religious movements in historical context.   Participants often take an interdisciplinary approach, drawing from Philosophy, Anthropology, Sociology, Art History, Literary Studies, and Gender and Cultural Studies.

To foster academic understanding of the history and dynamics of Japanese religious life, the Japanese Religions Group aims 1) to link scholars and teachers of various specializations and keep them abreast of the field; 2) to introduce scholarship and stimulate discussion by sponsoring panels and paper sessions at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion; and 3) to encourage and support general interest in the study of Japanese religious traditions.

Recent panels, paper sessions, and film screenings have investigated Critical Buddhism, religion and nationalism, the Kyoto School of Philosophy, funeral rites, Aum Shinri-kyo, the roles of women, the overlap of Shinto and Buddhism, and economic dimensions of Japanese religions.

The Japanese Religions Group collaborates with and complements other units of the American Academy of Religion, including the Buddhism Section, Confucian Traditions Group, and New Religious Movements Group.  The Group encourages participation by scholars new to the field and scholars from abroad.