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Book Description

Archaeological discoveries are reshaping our understanding of ancient Japanese spirituality, revealing profound connections between continental Asian practices and the development of Japan's religious traditions. Michael Como presents groundbreaking research that challenges conventional views of how Buddhism took root in Japanese culture.

Drawing from tens of thousands of recently unearthed ritual objects, sacred vessels, and ceremonial dolls from Japan's Nara and early Heian periods, this scholarly exploration uncovers a complex spiritual landscape. These archaeological treasures, many bearing inscriptions linked to Chinese spirit pacification ceremonies, tell a story far different from what previous generations of scholars believed.

Como demonstrates how immigrant communities from the Korean peninsula brought transformative religious practices to the Japanese islands. These traditions, centered on the ancient arts of manipulating yin and yang energies, conducting animal sacrifices, and calming restless spirits, profoundly influenced both Japan's imperial system and its Buddhist heritage.

For readers interested in the evolution of spiritual practices across cultures, this work offers fascinating insights into how religious traditions migrate, adapt, and merge. The book traces an extraordinary period of religious transformation, showing how continental Asian ritual paradigms became woven into the fabric of Japanese spirituality.

Through careful analysis of material evidence and historical records, Como reveals the intricate processes by which foreign spiritual practices became integral to Japanese religious identity, offering a fresh perspective on cultural and spiritual exchange in ancient East Asia.