1. Hardacre explains that Jō do Shinshū claims Shinran's teachings as the basis for rejecting merit transfer rites (tsuizen kuyō) and that it strongly denies the need for appeasing vengeful spirits (Hardacre 1998: 192–3). See also LaFleur (1992: 163–70).
2. Robert J. Smith already identified the growing trend of urban ancestral altars containing only nuclear family members in the early 1970s (Smith 1974: 158–63).
3. Surveys of religion in Japan have shown again and again that religious beliefs rank low in determining religious affiliation or religious practice. see Swyngedouw (1993: 49–80).
4. Asahi Shinbun (Tōkyō edition). 2005. Petto to ohaka mo issho ni. 40–60 dai chōsa, 53% ga haiteiteki. October 5: 29.
5. Asahi Shinbun (Tōkyō edition). 2006. Petto to tomo ni eien no nemuri o—Machida no reien, ninki yobu. January 17: 30.