In this course we will survey the religious history of Japan from the 19th century to the present.  The course will attempt to illuminate the elusive meaning of "Shinto" in historical perspective, and to understand the nature of“Shinto”as a contemporary Japanese religion.  Among the topics to be examined are: the religious transformation of the Meiji Restoration and its impact on Japan's religiosity today; the status of religion in Japanese society; the relationship of State and Religion in modern Japan.  A special emphasis will be put on understanding the phenomenon of New Religions in Japan; we will also look at the movement of "searching for roots" in today's Japan, and on the phenomenon of the revival of traditions in religious contexts.