Engaging with wider debates on the difficult divide between secular patriotic ritual and religious ritual, this monograph presents the first full-length study of Shinto shrines established in the ever-expanding Japanese sphere of influence between the late 19th and mid-20th centuries. Through her well-researched study, Shimizu discusses how Japan attempted to construct a multiethnic Shinto-based secularity and used the overseas Shinto shrines to instill new senses of time, space and morality in their newly acquired territories. * Ellen Van Goethem, Professor of Japanese History, Kyushu University, Japan * Overseas Shinto Shrines presents a significant and much-needed contribution to not only Shinto studies but also Asian studies, religious studies, and modern history more broadly. The book is a great resource for courses on religion, law, and politics, as well as colonialism, migration, and globalization. ... The historical narratives are engaging, and the contents are clear, comprehensive, and accessible for students and non-specialists. I strongly recommend Overseas Shinto Shrines and hope that it inspires further interest in Shinto research abroad. * Japanese Religions * Shimizu skilfully demonstrates how a detailed and comprehensive understanding of the developments during the imperial period and the role of Shinto in Japanese colonialism is conducive to gaining a more nuanced understanding surrounding the public role of Shinto in Japanese society today. * Reading Religion *
