![]() Each kami was associated with a certain natural power, like the wind or a place, like a mountain. Where originally the kami were only the providence of Shintoism, once Buddhism was introduced into Japan, the two religions freely took ideas from one another.īefore the arrival of Buddhism, the kami were less “gods” as other religions might imagine them and more like “spirits,” or forces of nature. The Japanese people and their syncretic culture created a massive pantheon of gods. See our writers’ top picks! The Japanese Gods Japanese people often freely borrow aspects from both traditional Shinto kami worship as well as from the various schools of Japanese Buddhism and apply them to their lives, mixing and matching with no regard for the boundaries of belief. What this all means is that religion in Japan isn’t black or white. Japanese religion and culture are heavily intertwined, to the extent that actions and methods that may have started out purely as religious rituals are now ingrained cultural attitudes. ![]() What takes the center stage are methods and actions.ĭo you follow the rituals that you were taught to do? Do you act in a way that is appropriate? Do you carry out your life in the correct fashion? These questions predominate Japanese thought, and not only in the religious sense, either. Belief isn’t the focus of religion. In fact, it’s not even really all that important. Japanese religion and culture take a different approach. This tends to draw lines between them: you either are a believer in one or the other, and syncretism (religion mixing) is rare. Rather than a rounding error or sketchy sampling methods, this is indicative of a way that Japanese religion is a bit different when compared to others across the world.įor example, looking at the Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, there is a large emphasis placed on belief. The schools of Japan ended up taking heavy influence from Shinto beliefs, and thus added gods into their tradition.Īccording to the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs, 69% of Japanese people follow Shintoism while 66% of people follow Buddhism. As it spread throughout Asia, different schools emphasized different ideas, some of which involved the worship of gods or deities. Unlike Shintoism, however, Buddhism did not originally involve the worship of gods. Where some, like "Amida" (Pure Land Buddhism), explore the celestial components of the Buddha through scripture, others, like "Zen," focus on training the mind toward awareness through meditation. Just like Shintoism, Buddhism in Japan isn’t centralized under a single authority, but rather is split into different schools, all with differing interpretations of the religion. However, it wasn’t until the Kamakura period, several hundred years later, that it really took root in the islands. ![]() ![]() ![]() From there, it made its way to Japan by about 500 AD, during the Kofun period. Buddhism originated in India, and eventually exploded in popularity throughout South and East Asia, arriving in China during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. And what about the Buddha and bodhisattva? What do the Japanese people believe in, exactly? Who are their gods, what are their names, and what do they do? How does it all tie together?īuddhism, an import from the Asian mainland, is a bit more structured compared to traditional Shinto worship. Maybe you're even aware of their seemingly endless multitude, as every corner and neighborhood in Japan seems to have a shrine dedicated to one god or another. But chances are you have no idea where the kami fit into the religious scene in Japan today. You might have heard of kami, traditional Shinto gods of Japanese mythology. The second, temples, are places of prayer for Buddhism, a religion imported from India around 1,500 years ago. From the floating red torii (gate) of Itsukushima Bay in Hiroshima, to the graceful curves of Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo and its associated towering pagoda, these places of prayer are some of the most iconic and beautiful places in Japan.īut did you know that there is actually a difference between shrines and temples? The first, shrines, are places of worship for the uniquely Japanese religion called Shinto, which is as old as Japanese history itself. If you’ve ever been to Japan, or seen it on television, chances are you’ve been exposed to Japanese shrines and temples. ![]()
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