Over the centuries Shinto has evolved out of the worship of kami, the divine within the world. As one of the few ancient religions that still thrives, it is of interest to greater circles than Japan specialists, although it remains difficult to understand and even harder to characterize in western terms. The A to Z of Shinto traces its long historical evolution in the book's chronology and carefully considers the religion from different angles in the introduction. The dictionary includes hundreds of cross-referenced entries on significant institutions, concepts, writings, thinkers, and most importantly, the kami. The bibliography provides an outlet for further study.