Ch 6 traces the transmission of those texts and the ritualized mountain entries they describe to Togakushi in the 1520s, marking the birth of Shugendō at the site.
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Ch 7 focuses on how Togakushi's priests and Shugendō practitioners promoted their mountain’s wonders to a growing laity and traveling public who were eager to experience Shugendō firsthand and encounter the mountain’s famous dragon spirit.
After revising the conventional timeline of Shugendo, I similarly locate Shinto's arrival in the 17th c. Despite common perceptions, this shows that neither Shugendō nor Shinto were ancient traditions but spread to sites like Togakushi through specific historical contexts.
Ch 8 explores the early modern growth of Shugendō at Togakushi through new narratives, rituals, and policies. While the apex of Shugendō is typically romanticized as medieval, the evidence demonstrates that it’s really the Edo period when things take off.
Ch 9 returns to the issue of women’s exclusion from the site. I look at the economics, popular beliefs, and policies that accelerated this exclusion in the 18th century. Relying on Miyazaki Fumiko’s work, I also use Mount Fuji’s loosening restrictions as a counter example.
Ch 10 shows how 18th c. storytelling strategically embedded Shugendō in the ancient landscape, placing it at the very roots of the mountain’s origins. This image remains today, offering both inspiration and obstacles for innovation.
The epilogue recounts the gov’t's decimation of Shugendō in the Meiji era before pivoting to its recent return to many mountains. I end by reflecting on how historical perceptions shape its performance today and how reimagining that history fosters new modes of engagement.
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