"Taoism in Japan Taoism is believed to be the inspiration for spiritual concepts in Japanese culture. Taoism is similar to Shinto in that it also started as an indigenous religion in China, although it is more hermetic than shamanistic. Taoism's influence can be seen throughout the culture but to a lesser extent than Confucianism. Taoism in the form it takes in Japan can be easily seen as superstitious or astrological and the concept of demons and spirits seem to have their roots in a Taoist influence such as Onmyōdō and Shugendō. The widely practiced ritual of ""setsubun"" (節分) where chanters"
"for example Hirai Naofusa, in Japan, and Joseph Kitagawa, in the US, Shinto is the indigenous religion of Japan, has existed as such continuously since pre-history, and consists of all the peculiarly Japanese rituals and beliefs shaped by Japanese history from prehistory to the present. The term ""Shinto"" itself was coined in the 6th century to differentiate the loosely organized local religion from imported Buddhism. The opposing view belongs to Japanese historian Toshio Kuroda (and his supporters) who, in a famous article (""Shinto in the History of Japanese Religion,"" published in English in 1981), has argued that Shinto as an"
"Sikhism (シク教 ""Sikukyō"") is presently a minority religion in Japan mainly followed by families migrated from India. Jainism (ジャイナ教 ""Jainakyō"") is a minority religion in Japan. , there were three Jain temples in the country. The Ryukyuan religion is the indigenous belief system of the people of Okinawa and the other Ryukyu Islands. While specific legends and traditions may vary slightly from place to place and island to island, the Ryukyuan religion is generally characterized by ancestor worship (more accurately termed ""ancestor respect"") and the respecting of relationships between the living, the dead, and the gods and spirits of the"
"language exceeds 99%. Dozens of Japanese dialects are spoken in regions of Japan. Japanese religion has traditionally been syncretic in nature, combining elements of Buddhism and Shinto (Shinbutsu-shūgō). Shinto, a polytheistic religion with no book of religious canon, is Japan's native religion. Shinto was one of the traditional grounds for the right to the throne of the Japanese imperial family, and was codified as the state religion in 1868 (State Shinto), but was abolished by the American occupation in 1945. Mahayana Buddhism came to Japan in the sixth century and evolved into many different sects. Today, the largest form of"
"Hinduism in Japan Hinduism, unlike the closely related Buddhism, is a minority religion in Japan. Even so, Hinduism has played a somewhat significant role in Japanese culture. Though Hinduism is a little-practiced religion in Japan, it has still had a significant, but indirect role in the formation of Japanese culture. This is mostly because many Buddhist beliefs and traditions (which share a common Dharmic root with Hinduism) spread to Japan from China via Korean peninsula in the 6th Century. One indication of this is the Japanese ""Seven Gods of Fortune"", of which four originated as Hindu deities: Benzaitensama (Sarasvati), Bishamon"
"Hindus.Hindu gods are still revered by many Japanese particularly in Shingon Buddhism. There are also many Hindu temples in Japan Hinduism in Japan Hinduism, unlike the closely related Buddhism, is a minority religion in Japan. Even so, Hinduism has played a somewhat significant role in Japanese culture. Though Hinduism is a little-practiced religion in Japan, it has still had a significant, but indirect role in the formation of Japanese culture. This is mostly because many Buddhist beliefs and traditions (which share a common Dharmic root with Hinduism) spread to Japan from China via Korean peninsula in the 6th Century. One"
"""Only introspection can then help us to find our innermost reasons for living ... the simple answer is here within ourselves."" Shinto is the native religion of Japan. Shinto means ""the path of the kami"", but more specifically, it can be taken to mean ""the divine crossroad where the kami chooses his way"". The ""divine"" crossroad signifies that all the universe is divine spirit. This foundation of free will, choosing one's way, means that life is a creative process. Shinto wants life to live, not to die. Shinto sees death as pollution and regards life as the realm where the"
"Buddhism among Japanese people is the Jōdo Shinshū sect founded by Shinran. A large majority of Japanese people profess to believe in both Shinto and Buddhism. Japanese people's religion functions mostly as a foundation for mythology, traditions, and neighborhood activities, rather than as the single source of moral guidelines for one's life. About one million, or slightly under 1%, of Japan's population are Christians. A larger proportion of members of the Japanese diaspora practice Christianity; about 60% of Japanese Brazilians and 90% of Japanese Mexicans are Roman Catholics, while about 37% of Japanese Americans are Christians (33% Protestant and 4%"
"By 1988 it had more than 2.4 million members in Brazil, 85% of them not of Japanese ethnicity. Data for 2012 is from the Agency for Cultural Affairs. Japanese new religions Japanese new religions are new religious movements established in Japan. In Japanese they are called or . Japanese scholars classify all religious organizations founded since the middle of the 19th century as ""new religions""; thus, the term refers to a great diversity and number of organizations. Most came into being in the mid-to-late twentieth century and are influenced by much older traditional religions including Shinto, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Western"
"but excludes people with special permanent resident permission, diplomats, and those under 16. Shinto and Buddhism are Japan's two major religions. They have co-existed for more than a thousand years. However, most Japanese identify as either atheists, irreligious, or do not identify themselves as adherents of one religion, but rather incorporate various elements in a syncretic fashion. There are small Christian and other minorities as well, with the Christian population dating to as early as the 1500s, as a result of European missionary work before sakoku was implemented from 1635–1853. Demography of Japan The demographic features of the population of"
"studies have suggested that only 30 percent of the population identify themselves as belonging to a religion. According to Edwin Reischauer and Marius Jansen, some 70–80% of the Japanese do not consider themselves believers in any religion. Nevertheless, the level of participation remains high, especially during festivals and occasions such as the first shrine visit of the New Year. Taoism and Confucianism from China have also influenced Japanese beliefs and customs. Japanese streets are decorated on Tanabata, Obon and Christmas. Shinto is the largest religion in Japan, practiced by nearly 80% of the population, yet only a small percentage of"
"their folklore. Modern popular culture based upon this folklore, such as works of fantasy fiction in manga and anime, sometimes bear references to common deities (deva), demons (asura) and philosophical concepts. The Indian goddess Saraswati for example, is known as Benzaiten in Japan. Brahma, known as 'Bonten', and Yama, known as 'Enma', are also part of the traditional Japanese Buddhist pantheon. In addition to the common Buddhist influence on the two societies, Shintoism, being an animist religion, is similar to the animist strands of Hinduism, in contrast to the religions present in the rest of the world, which are monotheistic."
"the Japanese are culturally not familiar with the western notion of God. However, despite the Japanese unfamiliarity with Christian or Western religiosity, the Japanese are a religious people. Many Japanese people state to be a part of one or more religion, mostly Shinto and Buddhism and these religions affect their world view deeply. Thus, the cultural differences in ethics and morality challenge missionary work. Another cultural difference is the impact of Confucian ethics. Western culture puts emphasis on the individual, while Japanese culture values the group over the individual. The Japanese culture values harmony over individual ambition and aggressiveness. Large"
"Ryukyuan religion The Ryukyuan religion (琉球信仰), Ryukyu Shinto (琉球神道), Nirai Kanai Shinkou (ニライカナイ信仰), or Utaki Shinkou (御嶽信仰) is the indigenous belief system of the Ryukyu Islands. While specific legends and traditions may vary slightly from place to place and island to island, the Ryukyuan religion is generally characterized by ancestor worship (more accurately termed ""ancestor respect"") and the respecting of relationships between the living, the dead, and the gods and spirits of the natural world. Some of its beliefs, such as those concerning ""genius loci"" spirits and many other beings classified between gods and humans, are indicative of its ancient"
"mediums are women, a vestige from a time when female deities dominated the folk religion. The Japanese have been influenced by Shintoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. Buddhism and Shintoism have separate organizations, buildings, festivals, and religious specialists. Thus one can speak of Japanese religions that individuals blend in different ways but not of a distinct Japanese folk religion. Indonesia is an example of Asian countries where syncretic religions have been dominant. On Java, nearly everyone identifies with Islam, but most people practice Agama Jawa, Javanese religion, or Javanese Islam. This form of religion is a mixture of animistic, Islamic, and to"
"his previous church denomination. However, during that year, Murai's wife claimed that she had received a revelation from God to establish a new church which was to be given the name <ruby><rb>イエス</rb><rp>[</rp><rt>Iesu</rt><rp>]</rp></ruby> <ruby><rb>之</rb><rp>[</rp><rt>no</rt><rp>]</rp></ruby> <ruby><rb>御霊</rb><rp>[</rp><rt>Mitama</rt><rp>]</rp></ruby> <ruby><rb>教会</rb><rp>[</rp><rt>Kyōkai</rt><rp>]</rp></ruby> (Spirit of Jesus Church). Murai Jun Murai Jun (村井ジュン, 1897 - 1970) was the founder of what is regarded today as the largest indigenous church in Japan - Iesu no Mitama Kyōkai, was born into a Methodist family in Tokyo and later studied theology at Aoyama College. While he was studying there, something troubled him deeply to the point of anticipating suicide. Hence Murai planned"
"often referred as ""Japanese-Indian Brotherhood"" (Japanese: 日本のインド同胞団 (Nihon no Indo dōhō-dan) ; Hindi: जापानी भारतीय भाईचारा (Jaapaanee Bhaarateey Bhaeechaara)). Though Hinduism is a little-practiced religion in Japan, it has still had a significant, but indirect role in the formation of Japanese culture. This is mostly because many Buddhist beliefs and traditions (which share a common Dharmic root with Hinduism) spread to Japan from China via Korean peninsula in the 6th Century. One indication of this is the Japanese ""Seven Gods of Fortune"", of which four originated as Hindu deities: Benzaitensama (Sarasvati), Bishamon (Vaiśravaṇa or Kubera), Daikokuten (Mahākāla/Shiva), and Kichijōten (Lakshmi)."
"Japanese new religions Japanese new religions are new religious movements established in Japan. In Japanese they are called or . Japanese scholars classify all religious organizations founded since the middle of the 19th century as ""new religions""; thus, the term refers to a great diversity and number of organizations. Most came into being in the mid-to-late twentieth century and are influenced by much older traditional religions including Shinto, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Western influences include Christianity, the Bible and the writings of Nostradamus. In the 1860s Japan began to experience great social turmoil and rapid modernization. As social conflicts emerged in"
"Hindu Ganesha (see Kangiten) is displayed more than Buddha in a temple in Futako Tamagawa, Tokyo. Other examples of Hindu influence on Japan include the belief of ""six schools"" or ""six doctrines"" as well as use of Yoga and pagodas. Many of the facets of Hindu culture which have influenced Japan have also influenced Chinese culture. People have written books on the worship of Hindu gods in Japan. Even today, it is claimed Japan encourages a deeper study of Hindu gods. Hinduism is practised mainly by the Indian migrants.As of 2016 ,there are 30,048 Indians in Japan.Most of them are"
"for the first time, the head of Tokyo's Chabad House, Rabbi Binyamin Edre'i. Hinduism (ヒンドゥー教 ""Hindūkyō"" or 印度教 ""Indokyō"") in Japan is practiced by a small number of people, mostly immigrants from India. Nevertheless, Hindu themes have had a significant but indirect role in Japanese culture, through the spread of Buddhism. Four of the Japanese ""Seven Gods of Fortune"" originated as Hindu deities, including Benzaiten (Sarasvati), Bishamon (Vaiśravaṇa or Kubera), Daikoku (Mahakala/Shiva), and Kisshoutennyo (Laxmi). Various Hindu deities, including the aforementioned, are worshipped in Shingon Buddhism. This denomination, and all other forms of Tantric Buddhism, borrow heavily from Tantric Hinduism."
"these identify themselves as ""Shintoists"" in surveys. This is due to the fact that ""Shinto"" has different meanings in Japan: most of the Japanese attend Shinto shrines and beseech kami without belonging to Shinto organisations, and since there are no formal rituals to become a member of folk Shinto, Shinto membership is often estimated counting those who join organised Shinto sects. Shinto has 100,000 shrines and 78,890 priests in the country. Buddhism first arrived in Japan in the 6th century; it was introduced in the year 538 or 552 from the kingdom of Baekje in Korea. Christianity was first introduced"
"the common people in Japan. Jainism in Japan Jainism, unlike the closely related Buddhism, is a minority religion in Japan. At present, there are three Jain temples in Japan, with the Kobe Jain temple being the most famous one. Forty Japanese students were sponsored by the Government of India in the early 1950s to live and study in India. Some of them studied Navinaya in Varanasi and Gujarat, which led to new interest in the study of Jainism in Japan. One of the accomplishments was the first Japanese book by Minakata Kumagusu to simplify and translate the concepts of Jainism"
"Christianity in Japan Christianity in Japan is among the nation's minority religions. Around 0.5 percent of the population claims Christian belief or affiliation. Most large Christian denominations, including Roman Catholicism, Protestantism and Orthodox Christianity, are represented in Japan today. Since the mid-1990s, the majority of Japanese, despite claiming to be nonreligious, wed in Christian-style ceremonies which has had a major impact on Japanese Christianity. The Japanese word for is a compound of kirisuto (キリスト) the Japanese adaptation of the Portuguese and Spanish word for Christ, and the Sino-Japanese word for , like in ""Bukkyō"" (仏教, Japanese for Buddhism). Japan remains"
"Jainism in Japan Jainism, unlike the closely related Buddhism, is a minority religion in Japan. At present, there are three Jain temples in Japan, with the Kobe Jain temple being the most famous one. Forty Japanese students were sponsored by the Government of India in the early 1950s to live and study in India. Some of them studied Navinaya in Varanasi and Gujarat, which led to new interest in the study of Jainism in Japan. One of the accomplishments was the first Japanese book by Minakata Kumagusu to simplify and translate the concepts of Jainism into Japanese for use by"
"in Japan, the term ""shrine"" implies a Shinto religious structure and ""temple"" implies a Buddhist one. Miyajima is famous for the Itsukushima Shrine (厳島神社, ""Itsukushima-jinja"") which is a Shinto shrine. It is known for its ""floating"" torii gate. The historic shrine complex is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as one of the National Treasures by the Japanese government. Next to the Itsukushima Shrine is Daiganji Temple, dedicated to Goddess Benzaiten as well as three Buddhas important to Shingon Buddhism. Benzaiten Goddess in Japan has been traced to Goddess Saraswati of Hinduism in India. She is the"
"earliest Japanese writings do not refer to a unified ""Shinto religion"", but rather to disorganized folklore, history, and mythology. Shinto today applies to public shrines suited to various purposes such as war memorials, harvest festivals, romance, and historical monuments, as well as various sectarian organizations. Shinto is the largest religion in Japan, practiced by nearly 80% of the population, yet only a small percentage of these identify themselves as ""Shintoists"" in surveys. According to surveys carried out in 2006 and 2008 show that 3% to 3.9% of the population of Japan are members of Shinto sects and derived religions. Muism"
"religions are Shinto-derived and retain the fundamental characters of Shinto, often identifying themselves as forms of Shinto. These include Tenrikyo, Konkokyo, Omotokyo, Shinrikyo, Shinreikyo, Sekai Shindokyo, Zenrinkyo and others. Others are independent new religions, including Aum Shinrikyo, Mahikari movements, the Church of Perfect Liberty, Seicho-no-Ie, the Church of World Messianity, and others. Buddhism (仏教 ""Bukkyō"") first arrived in Japan in the 6th century, it was introduced in the year 538 or 552 from the kingdom of Baekje in Korea. The Baekje king sent the Japanese emperor a picture of the Buddha and some sutras. After overcoming brief yet violent oppositions"
"is customary to clean the graves and to hold family reunions. Buddhism in Japan Buddhism in Japan has been practiced since its official introduction in 552 CE according to the ""Nihon Shoki"" from Baekje, Korea, by Buddhist monks. Buddhism has had a major influence on the development of Japanese society and remains an influential aspect of the culture to this day. In modern times, Japan's most popular schools of Buddhism are Pure Land Buddhism, Nichiren Buddhism, Shingon Buddhism and Zen. As of 2008, approximately 34% of the Japanese identify as Buddhists and the number has been growing since the 1980s,"
"belief in the supernatural in Japan stemming from a variety of influences. Imported sources include Buddhism, Taoism and Chinese folklore. The most notable influence, however, is Shintō, a native Japanese animistic religion which presupposes that our physical world is inhabited by eight million omnipresent spirits. Japanese ghosts are essentially spirits ""on leave"" from hell in order to complete an outstanding mission. The souls (""reikon"" - 霊魂) of those who die violently, do not receive proper funerary rites, or die while consumed by a desire for vengeance, do not pass peacefully to join the spirits of their ancestors in the afterlife."
"34,477 in 1970 to 433,108 at the end of the 1980s. Taken at face value, the Spirit of Jesus Church is one of the largest New religious movements in Japan. They also reject the Trinitarian doctrine and claims to be the only true Christian church in the world They believe in divine health through prayer and the anointing of oil, because this is a practice referred to in the New Testament (James 5:14-16). They also perform the ceremony of the washing of the feet, which was originally performed by Jesus (John 13). This practice has been revived with some pastors"
"the leader of China in 1978 and helped cultural exchanges between China and Taiwan. Shintoism is the ethnic religion of Japan. Shinto literally means ""Way of the Gods"". Shinto practitioners commonly affirm tradition, family, nature, cleanliness and ritual observation as core values. Taoist influence is significant in their beliefs about nature and self-mastery. Ritual cleanliness is a central part of Shinto life. Shrines have a significant place in Shinto, being places for the veneration of the ""kami"" (gods or spirits). ""Folk"", or ""popular"", Shinto features an emphasis on shamanism, particularly divination, spirit possession and faith healing. ""Sect"" Shinto is a"
"women drop out of the labor force to raise children. Three times as many women are employed part-time as men. The Japan Council for Quality Health Care administers the Japan Obstetric Compensation System for Cerebral Palsy, a no-fault compensation system for the care of delivery-related cerebral palsy. Religion, as practiced in Japan today, includes Shintoism (83.9%), Buddhism (71.4%), Christianity (2%), and other (7.8%). Total adherence exceeds 100% because many identify with both Shintoism and Buddhism. Shinto shrines, honoring gods and goddesses of ancient Japanese mythology, decorate the landscape of Japan. Shintoism is based on earlier animistic and shamanistic traditions, and"
"as Buddhism and Christianity) but not necessarily non-belief in traditional folk religions collectively represented by Chinese ""Shendao"" (shén dào) and Japanese ""Shinto"" (both meaning ""ways of gods""). In modern Japan, religion has negative connotation since it is associated with foreign belief systems so many identify as ""nonreligious"" (""mushukyo""), but this does not mean they have a complete rejection or absence of beliefs and rituals relating to supernatural, metaphysical, or spiritual things. In the Meiji era, the Japanese government consciously excluded Shinto from the category of religion in order to enforce State Shinto while asserting their state followed American-mandated requirements for"