Teeuwen and Breen present the narrative strata that make up Iseâs historical identity and recount a dynamic history in which the Ise shrines have been transformed many times over the centuries. The result of their thorough research is a fascinating and eye-opening book, an excellent resource for both researchers and teachers in the field of Japanese religions.
Reading Religion
Offers a rich, multifaceted account and analysis of the Ise Shrines.
Monumenta Nipponica
A welcome contribution to the English-language scholarship on this important site in Japanâs religious, political, and cultural imagination ... The authors efficiently synthesize voluminous information and trace complex relationships between different actors by adhering to three analytical strategies, an approach that allows the volumeâs narrative to flow relatively seamlessly.
Journal of Religion in Japan
In this engaging social history of the Ise Shrines, Mark Teeuwen and John Breen challenge cherished notions holding that Ise is the primal locus of Shinto, unifying and providing the standard for all other Shinto shrines since ancient times ⌠Their book is a balanced and authoritative study of a central subject in the history of Japanese religions that will be warmly welcomed and widely appreciated.
- Helen Hardacre, Reischauer Institute Professor of Japanese Religions and Society, Harvard University, USA,
This book takes us on a journey into the multilayered history of the Ise Shrines ⌠The book is very well documented and sharp and is a must read study for scholars and students interested in Shinto, religion, and Japan.
- Elisabetta Porcu, Senior Lecturer in Asian Religions, University of Cape Town, South Africa,
This book is ... highly recommended to students of Japanese religious history.
Religious Studies Review