Religion & Religious Practices in Japan Shinto Buddhism Christianity ---------------- Confucianism Religion • Many varieties of religious traditions coexist in Japan without contradiction- syncretic • Many people visit shrines and temples as part of annual events and special rituals. Shintō • “The way of the gods” • It is the native religion of Japan originating from primitive ancestor and nature worship. Kami (gods) exist in all aspects of life. 8 million kami. It has no Sutra or scripture. Emphasizes purity and cleanliness. • It was Japan’s state religion Izumo taisha: known for from 1868 (Meiji the god of marriage or Restoration) to 1945. matchmaking Entrance to Meiji Shrine Tokyo Shintō Ise Shrine The Goddess Amaterasu is enshrined. Shintō Itsukushima jinja (shrine) Torii: a gateway to a Shintō shrine East Asian Languages and Cultures 231 Prof. Reiko Yonogi Itsukushima shrine at Miyajima At high tide Itsukushima shrine at low tide Jichinsai: Shintō ceremony for purifying a building site Ground-breaking ceremony Buddhism • Originating in India around the 5th C, BC. Spread through China in the 2nd & 3rd C, AD and reached Japan via Korea in the mid 6th Century Kamakura (mid 13th) Buddhism • Ultimate goal is to attain enlightenment. • Japanese people welcomed Buddhism because of a teaching of mercy and salvation for mankind in an after life. • In the 8th century, the Emperor Shōmu adopted Buddhism as the official state religion, but many people observed no distinction between Buddhism and Shintō, and they did not consider it contradictory to practice both. Thus, coexistence with Shintō continued. Great Buddha at Tōdaiji (mid 8th century) Family Buddhist altar Household Shintō altar Zen Buddhism • Developed in Kamakura period, 12th century • Self discipline and meditation • Became popular among warrior class • Aesthetic ideas of Zen influenced arts, such as architecture, tea ceremony, and flower arrangement. Zen Way of Life • Meditation • Concentration of mind • Detachment and equanimity • Mental discipline • Harmony with nature • Spontaneity • Simplicity • Gracefulness Zen • Mushin: 無心 to attain a spiritual state of perfect selflessness; detachment from earthly desires, physical or mental Syncretic nature of Japanese religion • Shinto: concerned with this world celebrations of life in this world, wedding ceremony • Buddhism: concerned with after life funeral ceremony Joya no kane at Chion-in Ring bells on December 31 Shrine Visits • Hatsumode - January 1st or 2nd, pray for happiness for the new year • Miyamairi - bring a new born baby pray for a healthy and happy life • Shichigosan (November 15) – Boys of 3 & 5 years old – Girls of 3 & 7 years old Christianity • In 1549, Francis Xavier (Jesuit missionary) arrived in Kagoshima. • In 1614 Tokugawa shogunate proscribed Christianity and expelled missionaries from Japan. Tokugawa government was afraid that Japan will be invaded by European powers. • In 1873, prohibition of Christianity dropped, and foreign missionaries returned to Japan. Christians in Japan • Today, Christians in Japan is fewer than 2% of the population. • Why Christianity did not take roots in Japan: One possible reason for low growth of Christianity in Japan is that the emphasis on exclusive belief in the Christian God requires a strong commitment in rejecting the more relaxed polytheism of Shinto and Japanese Buddhism. Confucianism • Ethical teaching formulated by Confucius (551-479BC) • Came to Japan around the same time as Buddhism, mid-6th century • Family system: stable families rightly governed lead to a stable and happy state and to create social harmony. This Confucius idea was the basis of Japanese family system from the 7th century all the way to the Meiji Civil Code. • 5 basic relationships: – Father / Son (parents – child) – Ruler / Subject (lord – retainer) – Husband / Wife – Older sibling / Younger sibling – Friend / Friend.