Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 46038-h.htm or 46038-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/46038/46038-h/46038-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/46038/46038-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries. See https://archive.org/details/shintowayofgods00astouoft Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). Text enclosed by equal signs is in bold face (=bold=). Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation in the original have not been changed. SHINTO (The Way Of The Gods) by W. G. ASTON, C.M.G, D.Lit. Author of 'A Grammar of the Japanese Spoken Language,' 'A Grammar of the Japanese Written Language,' 'The Nihongi' (Translation), 'A History of Japanese Literature,' &c. Longmans, Green, and Co. 39 Paternoster Row, London New York and Bombay 1905 All rights reserved TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE. I. MATERIALS FOR THE STUDY OF SHINTO 1 II. GENERAL FEATURES--PERSONIFICATION 5 III. GENERAL FEATURES--DEIFICATION OF MEN 36 IV. GENERAL FEATURES--FUNCTIONS OF GODS, &C. 65 V. MYTH 75 VI. THE MYTHICAL NARRATIVE 84 VII. THE PANTHEON--NATURE-DEITIES 121 VIII. THE PANTHEON--MAN-DEITIES 177 IX. THE PRIESTHOOD 200 X. WORSHIP 208 XI. MORALS, LAW, AND PURITY 241 XII. CEREMONIAL 268 XIII. MAGIC, DIVINATION, INSPIRATION 327 XIV. DECAY OF SHINTO. MODERN SECTS 359 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.