Michael Como Tōshū Fukami

Michael Como Tōshū Fukami is an Associate Professor of Shinto Studies at Columbia University's Department of East Asian Languages & Cultures. He holds a BA from Harvard University (1985) and a PhD from Stanford University (2000). His research focuses on the transmission of rituals, deities, and technologies to Japan, particularly during the Asuka to Heian periods. Current projects include a monograph on urbanization and materiality of religious performance in 8th–9th century Japan.

His teaching includes courses such as the Colloquium on Major Texts in East Asia and Graduate Seminar in Japanese Religion. Research interests span cultural transmission, local religious traditions, and theological innovation tied to urbanization. Recent publications examine medieval Shintō, immigrant deities in ancient Japan, and the role of violence in Buddhist formation.

He has held office at Columbia’s 307 80 Claremont and is listed among faculty in the department. No awards are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.