“Ritorno alla natura” nel discorso sullo sciamanesimo giapponese metropolitano

This article explores the concept of nature in the discourse on contemporary Japanese shamanism through the presentation of the practices of three metropolitan shamans. The aim is not only to outline the characteristics of the concept of “nature” that emerges from their discourse but also to highlight its connections with other relevant discourses, such as those on New Age movements, neo shamanism, and religious environmentalism. In conclusion, it is possible to speak of an ‘environmental paradigm’ in the discourse of the metropolitan shamans: they possess the knowledge necessary to bring the individual back to a situation of harmony with nature, through which they can solve the various problems that afflict them. However, this “environmentalism” remains bound to a theoretical level and does not necessarily lead to active engagement in protecting nature.