Tokugawa Religion: The Values of Pre-Industrial Japan Book

This book grew out of Professor Bellah's own dissertation in the 60s, so the readers should read with that information in mind. As you would expect from someone who did a Ph.D. at Harvard and also the first of its kind to sort of do a DOUBLE DEGREE by combining East Asia Studies with Sociology, this book is packed with well-researched information of Tokugawa Japan. If you a sociologist, though, you may not agree with all the theoretical assumption he made. But then, again, it was the sign of time. Don't be upset when you read something that you don't agree. Even Professor Bellah himself sort of changed his mind years later in his Foreword for later editions! Despite the changes in recent sociological theories, this book serves as a solid foundation for researchers of subsequent eras to build upon, agreeing with it or otherwise.