Secrecy's Power ─ Covert Shin Buddhists in Japan and Contradictions of Concealment

Shin Buddhism, focused on the love of the Amida Buddha, is popular in Japan. Those who study it do not usually think of it as a secret sect, or believe that secret Japanese Shin groups disappeared at least a century ago. The author of this book chanced into acquaintance with a group that practices Shin Buddhism in secret in the present day, and went on to do ethnographic research on why some Shin groups are still secret in Japan. The book is organized around these reasons and their effects, which are sometimes complementary and sometimes contradictory. Part one looks at secrecy in the history of covert Shin Buddhists. Part two looks at concealment in contemporary Urahomon. Annotation c2014 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)