Religion

Japanese religion is an interesting, syncretic blend of two different traditions: Shinto and Buddhism.  Shinto is the ancient, animistic religion that has existed on the islands in its current form since around the 7th century, but which existed long before that in various forms and traditions.  Shinto recognizes spiritual forces (particularly in nature), and deifies those forces as kami, spiritual forces at work in the universe.  It is important to note that kami are not gods, per se, although some manifestations take the form of figural deities.  Rather, kami are spirits that can take an active or passive role in the goings-on of every day life.  The Wikipedia article compares them to the ancient Roman numina, referring to a sort of spiritual potential in everyday objects, and this comparison feels apt, although kami is a much more encompassing concept, one that I am still trying to come to grips with.

Worship, through prayer, offerings, and ritual, happens at shrines.  Shrines are typically fairly simple structures built on a raised platform.  In visiting a shrine, one stands at the base of the steps of a square building with vaulted roof and looks up into the inner sanctum wherein there is usually some sort of ornate design or pattern.  Shrines themselves rarely contain any sort of figural representation, with the exception of guardian statuary near the entrance, usually in the form of ferocious lions.

Torii gateways (lit. bird perches) are emblematic of Shinto shrines and embody the idea of thresholds as they represent doorways through which both humans and spirits must pass in transitioning between the sacrosanct area of the shrine and the secular area beyond.  Shrines and torii litter the Japanese countryside and from what I've been told most Japanese today still participate in some Shinto traditions, even if only culturally.  Left: Many torii line the path to a high mountain shrine just outside the entrance to Koyasan.

The prevalence of Shinto is not unintentional; Japan's creation story is an important element of Shinto mythology, and its intrinsically tied up with the Imperial line.  To create Japan, greater Kami dipped a spear into the sea and droplets falling from the spear created the archipelago today known as Japan.  Further, the imperial line began as a direct descent from the first founder of Japan, given authority by these divinities.  Today's emperor comes from a direct lineal descent.  As such, the emperor is known as a 'son of heaven,' and throughout history the Shinto beliefs have been used to maintain the authority of the imperial regime.  

Buddhism was imported to Japan from China not long after the codification of Shinto, and the two religions have been in constant dialog since.  Depending on the tendencies of those in power, Buddhism has alternately thrived and suffered in its 1200-year development in Japan.  At times Buddhism was persecuted by the emperor, who saw it as a threat to the divine mandate that Shinto provided the imperial throne.  As late as the mid-19th century Buddhist temples throughout the country were razed to the ground, and many historical sites were destroyed.  Eventually, however, a balance was struck, and now Buddhism and Shinto coexist peacefully.  Most Buddhist temples even contain Shinto shrines, and many of the deities within Japanese Mahayana Buddhism are treated as kami--a prime example of how fluid the concept can be.

Buddhist temples are much more complex and elaborate structures than the typically simple Shinto shrines.  Complexes can span acres and include grand, elaborate buildings with specific, compartmental purposes like worship, ritual, or even religious debate.  Temples usually include a great deal of artwork: statuary, paintings, mandalas; that feature prominent bodhisattvas, (Japanese: bosatsu) who are worshiped like deities within Mahayana Buddhism.  Right: Jizo bosatsu statues in a Buddhist graveyard at Koyasan.  Jizo bosatsu is the guardian of children; a child stands at the foot of each statue, and each Jizo holds a golden, unborn embryo.


There's a short introduction to the two main religions of Japan.  Religious sites are some of my top priorities in my travels, so I'll be writing about specific locations.