Contribution to Western understanding of the nature and manifestations of Shinto through the vast galaxy of historic festivals (matsuri) that are here categorized and analysed.

Herbert Plutschow

Introduction; 1: Shinto and Shinto-Buddhist Matrusi in Perspective; 1: What are Matsuri?; 2: The Structure of the Festival; 3: Shinto-Buddhist Festivals; 4: Festivals and the Fear of Evil Spirits; 5: The Evolution of Festivals; 2: The Visiting Deities; 6: The Form of Deities; 7: The Movement of Deities (T?gy?); 8: The Dancing Deities; 9: Ritual Drama