Kami no Michi - The way of the Kami: The Life and Thought of a Shinto Priest

by Yukitaka Yamamoto

Genres: Japan, Cultural, Nonfiction

126 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Talbot Hook · Rating 3 out of 5]

This reads a bit like a personal essay from the 90s printed off from a home computer (typos and all — and there are many!) and bound in book form, with pixelated images to boot! It's predominantly about one priest's personal history and journey to/within Shinto, and thus is weighted predominantly toward the memoir category. (In fact, I see this primarily as a man documenting his life and worldview for his children, or a priest for his temple. There isn't that much of general importance for the reader in terms of Shinto as a spirituality or practice.) That said, the personal narrative is interesting, and what there is of Shinto thought is written quite well. The brief subsection on kannagara is really good, and the book pointed out some other sources I'm keen on hunting down. Also of note was the distinction between kami in the sense of immanent spirit, and in the adjectival sense as that which provokes wonder or awe. I think that a very useful distinction, and a very lovely concept. The book is fairly short, but even so, the discerning reader may want to peruse somewhat selectively.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Shinto has no need of formalized systems of ethics which instruct people how to behave. People who are trying to express kannagara will be living "according to the Kami" and therefore will not require detailed regulations. If man were in need of detailed rules, claimed Motoori Norinaga, he would be little better than an animal that needs to be trained and retrained in order to behave
properly. Humankind is surely beyond this type of morality. Beauty, Truth and Goodness are essentially related and when beauty is perceived, truth and goodness follow close behind.”

A very strange text (so many typos and formatting errors!) but worth the read.

[Davidswriting · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very short book, and I read it in two installments. I think my copy was about 130 pages. It is a very good and important book to read for anybody interested in Shinto or global religions, and it is a little bit heavier on the history than it is on the theology. It also goes in to detail about the war experience of the author which is both troubling and informative. Near the end he discusses interactions with the Unitarian Universalist Association, so it may be interesting to read for any UUs out there.

[Mary Quite Contrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the content of the book, but the typos and cut-off paragraphs were a little frustrating.