BGSU-HJU Traveling Home Hiroshima Links Diversion Dining Life Home Manners Banks, Mail ~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ Safety ~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ Religion In Japan Although the average person rarely gives faith much thought, its presence is inescapable in both the feel and traditions of Japan. The are basically three creeds that have influenced Japanese culture, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Shinto, although only the latter two are practiced or recognized for what they are(1). In recent years, Christianity also has played a role in people’s religious life. However, it is extremely rare that a Japanese person follows one of these creeds exclusively despite what they may say. If you ask the typical Japanese person what religion they belong to, the majority will say that they are Buddhist. The reason for claiming allegiance to this faith over all others probably stems from a Tokugawa-era law that dictated every family to have affiliation with a local Buddhist temple to prevent the spread of Christianity, considered a threat to the shogun’s power(2). Today though, other than for choosing a place to inter a body, it matters little where or even if a person goes to worship. Most of the time, people mix their favorite aspects of every faith available into one unique mixture. Weddings in particular are fascinating blends, often featuring an elegant Shinto ritual on one day and a Christian ceremony with a lovely white dress the next. Only funerals are distinctly Buddhist. Shinto Shinto, “The Way of the Gods”, has been a part of Japan probably since the first people set food on the archipelago (3). How the faith is practiced however has changed dramatically. No longer are there powerful prophetess queens or shamans, nor are the decorative clay houses for departed souls called haniwa in use (4). However, the main ideas of Shinto belief are still more or less the same, although altered by influxes of other beliefs. Shinto, unlike most modern religions, does not have an actual set of rules or ethics nor any particular philosophy about life and death(5). Instead, the beliefs center on the worship of supernatural spirits called kami, and ritual purification so as to better allow interaction with the spirits Most kami are more like invisible forces or presences than physical beings, although with the introduction of Buddhism some of the spirits were increasingly depicted as powerful, humanoid beings more similar to the deities of western pantheons (6). Typically though, even something as simple as an unusually shaped rock, a pretty waterfall, an ancient tree, or an entire concept like fertility can be considered and worshipped as kami, honored with the construction of a shrine (jinja) or being decorated by holy symbols(7). One of the most common is a heavy rope off of which hang little pieces of paper in the shape of lightening bolts or little people, meant to keep away impurity. Most of the people I spoke to in Japan however did not know what to call them or what they signified. The majority also are not familiar with the Shinto myths and legends which had been set down in such important tomes as the Nihongi (Chronicles of Japan) and the Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters). Nevertheless, most people still keep a little “God Shelf” in their house where they occasionally make offerings to the kami, more out of tradition and ritual than actual belief though. Really it was only during a period from the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the end of the Second World War that Shinto was anything more than an elegant backdrop to Japanese society. During that time certain aspects of the belief, namely the myth that the empreror was descended from the sun goddess Amaterasu, were used in the name of nationalism to rally the people to the war cause(8). Post war however, the beliefs were once again downplayed so as to promote democracy and harmony which continues to be the norm still today. Besides the construction of many important temples that serve as popular tourist sites, Shinto has had influence and given rise to a number of cultural phenomenons still around today, the most famous being Sumo. This ‘game’ probably started at least 1500 years ago and is deeply associated with purification and worship of kami, although since the 1700s it has become more like other athletic pastimes complete with vast sums of prize money and large crowds of cheering spectators(9). Nevertheless, sumo remains more ceremony than sport, complete with ritualistic foot stomping, throwing of salt, and repeated purification of body and ring taking more time than the actual fights. Shinto roots are also made obvious by the decorative aprons worn during the opening ceremonies, particularly those with a waist band of heavy twisted rope bedecked with lightning bolt-shaped papers identical to those found at shrines. Another type of event that is connected to Shinto are the matsuri or festivals (10). If you look at the titles of the festivals, you might notice that they frequently take the names of actual shrines (Gion Festival for example) or myths associated with Shinto kami (Tanabata). Festivities usually center on the shrines where priests and priestesses collect large amounts of donations, make prayers, and perform rituals while the commoners dance, eat, and have a party. Buddhism Buddhism is based on the teachings of Siddartha Gautama, a Nepalese prince considered the first to become truly enlightened(11). Since his death, the ideas have morphed and changed into numerous sects though there are still only two main divisions. The first is Theravada, which is most commonly practiced in Southern and Southeast Asia. There the focus is on individual enlightenment found through one’s self. Mahayana Buddhism is the other form, which first spread north into China then onto Korea, and eventually Japan. The Mahayana sects believe in countless numbers of bodhisattva, enlightened beings who stayed on earth to help others find salvation as well, probably due to influences of China’s native Daoist beliefs Buddhism arrived in the archipelago from Korea in 552 AD and was quickly embraced by a powerful family, the Soga clan which hoped to use the new ideas as a way to break the suffocating control of traditional Shinto-based establishment and gain power(12). However, Buddhism initially failed to make headway, especially after a plague struck the nation. Practitioners of the foreign ideology were hunted down and persecuted as scapegoats during that time. It was not until twenty years later that Buddhism gained a second chance and, in the form of the Soga Prince Shotoku, a powerful new promoter. At his orders, Buddhist temples in true Chinese style as described by students he had sent to the Middle Kingdom were built throughout the country, most famously in the new capital of Nara. Before long, the imported faith had taken prominence in the courts and soon spread to the common people. Over time the monasteries and temples themselves became powerful political and even military forces(13). This power however was broken with the rise of the Tokugawa shogunate which made a point of secularizing the state, and then again during the era of State Shinto where Buddhist beliefs were declared out-moded. Nevertheless, in practices involving death which Shinto practice deems impure, Buddhism continues to hold a monopoly of power. Most funerals today are carried out in Buddhist style and the cremated remains interred in a temple cemetery. Moreover, along with the Shinto God Shelf, families often have a small altar where they light incense and leave small offerings before a figure of Buddha or one of the bodhisattva. Unlike when different faiths like Islam and Christianity met in the west, save for the few incidents mentioned above, Shinto and Buddhism generally blended peacefully. (14). Compatibility of the idea of multiple bodhisattva as believed in Mahayana Buddhism and the notion of numerous kami, beings that eventually became seen as interchangeable, is one reason. The two faiths also compliment one another, with Shinto focused on purity and life but abhorrent of death, and Buddhism focusing on deeper more philosophical questions and lacking qualms about corpses (15). . Confucianism Confucianism is not so much a religion as it is a code of conduct that although rarely recognized by the layman has traditionally had an important role in the development of ethics in East Asian Civilization(16). The original concepts were developed by a Chinese contemporary of Siddartha Gautama named Confucius, but there have been numerous scholars and revisions of his sayings since that time. In its most basic form however, this code calls for obedience to elders and superiors, filial piety, and stresses education and honesty. People in Japan have rarely thought of themselves as Confucianist, although during the Tokugawa era the government acknowledge and happily accepted its influence on their actions and doctrines(17). Even so, its teachings can be seen influencing the well known Japanese obsession with schooling. Many modern families also leave offerings on a loved one’s grave or honor the ancestors at their home altar, typical of Confucian practices. There are no separate temples or shrines dedicated to this ideology however. Visiting and Worshipping No matter what it is, shrine or temple, there are a few basic procedures for entering and worshipping. Most Japanese people have no qualms about a foreigner at their religious centers as long as you are polite and respectful. Upon entering, near the gate there is usually a trough of water with little metal or wood dippers. Carefully and respectfully pick the dipper up and take some water into it. Pour this over your hands and swish out your mouth, spitting onto the ground if you don’t want to swallow. Rinse the dipper then raise it towards your face letting the water run down its handle before placing it as you found it on the trough. You’re supposed to do this elegantly and reverently although many Japanese don’t bother with such niceties. Most temples have multiple buildings with as many altars. No matter what the faith, the altars are all fronted by a little box with slats in the top for coins. Many also have a rope attached to a rattle of sorts that you are supposed to shake prior to praying, either to call the attention of the kami\bodhisattva or scare away evil spirits, depending who you ask. Before you pray, you are supposed to throw money into the container: a 10 or 100 yen coin will do. You then are supposed to follow a ritual of bowing and clapping, which is supposed to vary a little bit at each shrine and temple. However most Japanese people do not remember these variations themselves, so it is always acceptable to follow this simple pattern. Clap twice, bow once, pray, bow again and back away. The only well known exception to this rule is at Izumo Taisha in Matsue. Being that the deity enshrined within is considered a god of marriage and binding of souls, traditionally visitors clap four times, bow twice, pray, bow twice, then leave so that the prayer applies to their significant other, current or desired. Besides the money boxes, many Buddhist temples offer other ways of praying, depending on the sect. Some provide urns filled with sand where you can place sticks of lighted incense, a method used to clarify the mind I am told, prior to praying. These same temples frequently sell small candles you can light while saying a prayer before placing them on a special rack of spikes. Still other temples have large bells you can ring by swinging a log against them prior to making the wish, while others have statues of bodhisattva and Buddha you can pray before. There are even some temples that have decorative cylinders that you run your hands against as you walk while meditating on a prayer. Once in a while you also might run into a string of 108 prayer beads as in the picture. Besides praying, most temples and shrines also have little things to sell for your good luck. Omikuji are papers on which your fortune is written. They cost about 100-300 yen per piece. Sometimes, upon buying an omikuji you go through an elaborate process where a priest hands you an octagonal box with a hole in the top. Inside are many little sticks, with numbers on them that correspond to a set of containers behind the priest. You are supposed to shake the box until one of these rods falls out at which point the priest will give you the corresponding fortune. Other times there are no priests involved, and you can simply deposit a few hundred yen on good faith before choosing a fortune at random from a container full of them. Fortunes can be fantastic, good, mediocre, bad, or horrid. Most people say that you’re supposed to take the bad fortunes and tie them to the special racks or even the trees in the area so that your bad luck washes away with the paper. Other people have told me the total opposite, saying that good luck won’t come true unless it’s left at the shrine. I suppose it must depend on the person you ask. Omamori are little cloth bags with the name of the place they were bought and the kind of protection the give written or embroidered on the front. These can range in price from a few hundred to over a thousand yen depending on the temple and supposed effectiveness. A variety of charms can be put on them, including traffic safety, luck on exams, general good fortune, and of course romantic fortune. After the course of a year, these charms are supposed to be burned and replaced with new charms. There might be some truth to the Omamori. I have exam-luck omamori and traffic safety omamori and since buying them have had yet to crash and burn in either sense. Ema are plaques on which people write their prayer, hoping that the gods will notice. Sometimes they’re plain, other times they have a picture on them. O-Inori are prayer scripts that work like a talisman and can be ordered from the priests for various occasions. Handwritten and quite elegant, they’re also usually quite expensive. (1) Edwin O. Reischauer and Marius B. Jansen. The Japanese Today: Change and Continuity. (Cambridge, MA: The Belknap Press),203. (2) Reischauer and Jansen, 207. (3) World Book Encyclopedia, 1990 ed., s.v. "Shinto." (4) Tony Allan, Michael Kerrigan and Charles Phillips, Myth and Mankind: Japanese Myth, Realm of the Rising Sun. (Amsterdam: Time Life Books BV, 2000), 10-11. (5) Reischauer and Jansen, 208; World Book Encyclopedia, 1990 ed., s.v. "Shinto.". (6) World Book Encyclopedia, 1990 ed., s.v. "Shinto." (7) Reischauer and Jansen, 208. (8) Reischauer and Jansen, 209-210; World Book Encyclopedia, 1990 ed., s.v. "Shinto.". (9) Allan, et al, 50-51. (10) World Book Encyclopedia, 1990 ed., s.v. "Shinto." (11) World Book Encyclopedia, 1990 ed., s.v. "Buddhism." (12) Allan, et al, 15-18. (13) Reischauer and Jansen,205-207. (14) Allan, et al, 15-18. (15) World Book Encyclopedia, 1990 ed., s.v. "Shinto." (16) Reischauer and Jansen,203-204. (17) ibid.