Japanese Culture -religions-

Japanese people don’t belong to the Christian religion mostly while American and European do. Japanese people are said that they don’t believe any religions. But they are close to Buddhism and Shinto unconsciously at least. History of Japan is related to these religions affecting life, politics and feeling. So, there are many temples and shrines in Japan. Japanese religions have gone forwardtogether with people and history.

Japanese Buddhism is not legitimate Buddhism. Japanese Buddhism is like Mahayana Buddhism which has altruism mainly. Mahayana Buddhism came into Japan through China. Japanese used Buddhism to handle people so that Buddhism would be changed in Japan. Naturally, Japanese people are used to alter religions concepts to the concepts including blessings. So, Japanese Buddhism has many blessings to handle a nation against original. Japanese Buddhism became a major religion and was based on many minor Japanese religions.

Shinto is a unique and original religion because it was made in Japan mainly from old times. It says that there are many gods called “Yaorozu”. “Yaorozu” are gods formed by all things. So, “Yaorozu”’s own word means eight millions, referring to large number of gods. They are placid and like human in terms of character. So, Shinto has placid myths in a lot of terms. For example, Japanese country was born because gods made love together written on “Kuniumi”, one of famous myth. I think Shinto is too placid.

 Their major two religions exist so that Japanese religions became uncertain notion. The age made a nation, ”Sinbutu Syugo”, which means mixing Buddhism with Shinto. I think it happens because Japanese desire benefits and structure making them so that Japanese people did not make conflict of religions but integrate them. That is why Japanese people enjoy Xmas now.

Nowadays, Japanese people don’t have enough belief, but Japanese religions are latent in them. In fact, they go to the shrine to do “hatumoude”, wishing this year to be happy, and go to the temple when you attend a funeral. They live with Japanese religions as long as our likes.