As long as Japan's religious practices remain obscured and misunderstood, it will be impossible to interpret the country's art, history or even industry, argues the author of this work. After all, Milton, Dante and even Shakespeare can only be fully understood by those with a knowledge of Western religion. By analysing Japan's religion in depth, the author seeks to uncover what has long been hidden from Western view and to pave the way to a clearer understanding of Japanese life. The book includes sections on Ancestor-worship, the Communal Cult, the development of Shinto, Buddhism, social organisation, military power, loyalty, the Jesuits and many other topics.