This volume investigates the complex religious paradigm of honji suijaku to determine how premodern Japanese religious traditions integrated Buddhist deities with local kami. The authors, Fabio Rambelli and Mark Teeuwen, curate a collection of essays that challenge traditional, binary interpretations of Shinto and Buddhism. By utilizing historical, doctrinal, and semiotic analysis, the contributors argue that the relationship between these traditions was not a simple one-to-one correspondence but a fluid, multifaceted system of theological and mythological synthesis.

Scholars and historians of Japanese religion regard this work as a significant contribution to the study of syncretism, often citing its ability to move beyond simplified historical narratives. The text is frequently noted for its academic rigor and its utility as a foundational resource for those studying the intersection of Shinto and Buddhist thought.