Providing an overview of current cutting-edge research in the field of Japanese religions, this handbook is the most up-to-date guide to contemporary scholarship in the field. As well as charting innovative research taking place, this book also points to new directions for future research, covering both the modern and pre-modern periods. It includes essays by international scholars from the USA, Europe, Japan, and New Zealand. Topics and themes include gender, politics, the arts, economy, media, globalization, and colonialism. The handbook is an essential reference point for upper-level students and scholars of Japanese religions as well as Japanese Studies more broadly.