Kaibara Ekiken’s Syncretic Shinto–Confucian Philosophy

During the Meiji period, the relationship between Confucianism and the indigenous Japanese religion of Shinto became more complex within the context of national culture and policy. The integration of Confucianism and Shinto became an important part of Japan’s modernization and ideological construction. However, this profound fusion did not emerge suddenly; as early as the Edo period, Confucianism and Shinto had already established a certain degree of interaction and influence. Therefore, this article attempts to outline an early example of the combination of Shinto and Confucianism (more specifically, Neo-Confucianism, which had a profound impact on modern and contemporary Japan) through the lens of the integrated thought of Shinto and Confucianism of the early Edo-period scholar, Kaibara Ekiken.