I 100% agree. The amusing/frustrating thing is that these types of articles/essays usually really lack any context, so that's what I'm adding here.
It's very doubtful Shinto could be called the 'Soul of Japan'
It's very doubtful Shinto could be called the 'Soul of Japan'
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12096 https://librivox.org/bushido-the-soul-of-japan-by-inazo-nito...
"Japan: An attempt at interpretation" (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5979) and
"Tales of Old Japan" (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13015)
Especially "Japan: An attempt at interpretation" I found remarkable, It really struck a cord and goes in-depth on cultural expectations and habits in Kami (villages). "Tales of Old Japan" is a great collection of mythological tales.