（様式２）U n i v e r s i t y

Kokugakuin University

Field of study

Humanities

Courses to form the Graduate School of Letters, majors in Shinto Studies, Japanese Literature,
Japanese History, and The Institute for Japanese Culture and Classics(IJCC)
ProgramEstablishment of a National Learning Institute for the Dissemination of
Program Title
Research on Shinto and Japanese Culture
Kobayashi Tatsuo
Graduate
Program Leader
Department/Position Professor,
School of LettersP r o g r a m The establishment of a National Learning institute for the study of the origins andS u m m a r y historical development of the Shinto religion which has formed a base for Japaneseculture from the Jomon period to the present, and Shinto’s relationship to Japaneseculture, and to disseminate that research both in Japan and abroad.
The purposes of the center’s establishment are in line with the founding spirit ofNeeds andKokugakuin University, namely (1) to undertake systematic research on Shinto, thereby
Objectives
raising the qualitative level of research and education at the university, and (2) tofor theundertake state-of-the art research on the origins and historical function of the Shinto
Programtradition, which is currently at the focus of international attention. In these ways, wehope to give further impetus to studies that aim to uncover both Shinto’s particularity
and its universality. Since cultural and historical interest in Shinto is rising, not only
within the long-established traditions of Shinto research found in Europe and America,
but also in Asia, we are confident that the time is ripe both domestically andinternationally for the establishment of a center focusing on Shinto studies.
The research plan undertaken in concert with the establishment of this center will be broadly
Plan forcomposed of two projects. One will be to widely disseminate domestic and overseas research relatedFormation
to Shinto-oriented Japanese culture, thus promoting its use, and stimulating further research. Theofinformation to be disseminated in this way will include that already existing and other work currently
Research
being undertaken at the proposed Center.
CenterIn concrete, this project will represent an extremely up-to-date promotion of research that will
simultaneously enhance the systematic translation and electronic online access to English translationsof Shinto-related materials, together with surveys and research on the modern significance of Shintoand the other traditional religious elements forming crucial elements of Japanese culture. Second is a
project that will borrow apply interdisciplinary methodologies from Shinto studies, history ofreligions, and archeology to clarify the origins, essence, particularity and universality, and culturalrole of Shinto. In this way, it is hoped that light will be shed on the ways Shinto has influenced andfunctioned in the formation, development, and maintenance of the broad diversity and complexity ofJapanese culture.
Establishment of the proposed center will be impossible without the implementation of an educational
Education
Implementationsystem that trains young scholars with a broad academic perspective as specialist researchers inPlan
Shinto and Japanese culture. To that end, reforms are currently being designed that involve thecreation of an organic and interdisciplinary curriculum coupled to optimum faculty assignment for the
study of "Shinto and Japanese Culture," thus facilitating linkage and cooperation between the three
graduate fields of specialization (Shinto Studies, Japanese Literature, and Japanese History).
For example, systematically designed areas of study will be established as "minor fields," allowing
students to freely select courses within a range possessing "common relevance" to their majors. In thisway, interdisciplinary "cross-pollination" will be stimulated, leading to academic feedback thatpromotes more and deeper research in each student's major field of study. Further, the graduate
school's program of education will be organically integrated with the programs of joint researchundertaken by the Institute for Japanese Culture and Classics.
As faculty and students carry out projects of joint research over a diverse range of fields at theInstitute, the growth of a practice-oriented educational system will be promoted that develops andstimulates students' ability to recognize issues and respond flexibly (critical thinking), introducing
new measures such as granting credits for participation in joint research, and encouraging students toobtain their doctorate while in graduate school. In these and other ways, the educational system
linking graduate school and research institute will be refined and strengthened, thus enhancing theeducation and training of younger scholars who will bear the central role in the Center's formation.