This course examines key aspects of the Japanese modern and contemporary religious culture through a variety of ‘popular’ media, ranging from Edo period storytelling and kibyôshi to contemporary manga and anime. Focusing on themes such as “Religion, Leisure, and Worldly Benefits” or “Monsters, Superstition and Modernity,” we will pay particular attention to the following questions:

1)     What is the relationship between religion, spirituality and entertainment in modern and contemporary Japan?

2)     Which religious ideas and world-views inform Japanese popular culture?

3)     How do different media popularize religious ideas, or even stimulate new ones?

Classes convene twice a week for one hour and fifteen minutes, and will explore specific topics and media. For each topic, there will be a general introductory lecture followed by one or more practice-oriented class, in which we will engage with a particular media type. Due to the nature of the subject, we will rely on a variety of audio-visual materials, and students will be encouraged to engage in extra classroom activities.

Although the course should not be intended as a comprehensive introduction to the religions of Japan, by the end of the course students will be familiar with core ideas and practices, as well as with sacred imageries, holy places and religious groups relevant to the understanding of contemporary Japanese religious culture.