Different Kinds Of Japanese Religion

Different Kinds Of Japanese Religion
The Japanese people don’t necessarily believe in just
one kind of religion unlike other countries while there is
a certain religion that is being followed by the majority.
There are still several other religions that groups of people
follow and believe in. Japanese people don’t really
want to distinguish what their religion really is; in fact
their day-to-day lives are usually based on a mix of teachings
from Buddhism and Shintoism.
Japanese religion is usually based on syncretism where people
can believe and practice all sorts of different Japanese religion
and nobody will take it against you. For example, a person
may go to a Christian church but practice the teachings of
Buddhism. Although out of all of these Japanese religions,
Shintoism can be considered as the most common religion for
Japanese people.
The Japanese religion of Shintoism started way back in the
16th century wherein it was used to bring unity back among
the Japanese. The leaders of the Meiji Restoration have adopted
the Japanese religion of Shintoism and declared it as the
Japanese religion, the state even supported their claim and
Shintoism wasn’t to be confused with the teaching of
Buddhism anymore.
After World War II, due to the pressure that the Emperor
got from the Americans to stop supporting Shintoism, it has
now become a religion that is widely accepted for its rich
history and strong affinity with nature. A lot of the shrines
that are part of the Shintoirsm religion have been used for
weddings while others are a good place to go sight seeing.
A lot of the festivals that are a part of the Shintoism religion
are still widely celebrated until today and most Japanese
household still have a mini shrine in their homes wherein
they give offerings to their Shinto deities.
Other common Japanese religions are the following:
Buddhism – this religion came to Japan way back in
the 6th century and continued to have a great influence not
just in Japanese religion but in the arts as well as how they
live their day to day lives as well. Most of the funerals
that are held in Japan are being officiated by the Buddhist
priests, in spite of whatever religion that the family believes
in, everybody’s welcome.
Daoism – is another religion that originated from China,
it has been closely linked with Zen Buddhism wherein the religion
gives importance to having harmony with nature. The Japanese
look to Daoism when it comes to picking out auspicious dates
for important events in their lives as well as the healing
benefits from nature. The various practices that are involved
in Daoism are widely evident with how the Japanese people
live their lives today. Apart from having a great influence
on society, Daoism also has a profound influence on the native
Japanese rituals as well as other shamanistic traditions.