Overseas Shinto Shrines: Religion, Secularity and the Japanese Empire - Paperbackby Karli Shimizu (Author), Fabio Rambelli (Editor) Through extensive use of primary resources and fieldwork, this detailed study examines overseas Shinto shrines and their complex role in the colonization and modernization of newly Japanese lands and subjects. Shinto shrines became one of the most visible symbols of Japanese imperialism in the early 20th century. From 1868 to 1945, shrines were constructed by both the government and Japanese migrants