Bernardo Palhau

Thesis supervisor: Lorenzo DiTommaso

Thesis title: The intersection of religion and popular culture in modern Japan.

Bernardo is currently completing his M.A. in Religions and Cultures at Concordia University. He completed his B.A. at Concordia University in Religions and Cultures accompanied by a minor in Classical Archaeology.

His main research focuses on Japan and its relationship with traditional culture, religion, and popular culture. His research explores the various interactions between religion and popular culture in modern Japanese society to better understand the type of relationship and how it functions. To better understand these sociological interactions, Bernardo will be looking at various case studies such as two festivals: the Hōnensai in Komaki and the Kanamara Matsuri in Tokyo, and Japanese popular culture such as animation, manga and fashion.

Bernardo spent three months in Japan doing ethnographic research and observation in various cities. His research led him to explore multiple cities such as Nagoya, Komaki, Osaka, Kyoto, Kamakura and Tokyo, and various sacred sites, temples, and shrines.

His other academic interests also include history, photography, religious art, architecture, the history and development of Shintoism in Japan and archaeology.