Shinto and Buddhism are two of the most influential and pervading traditions in Japanese religion. While both of these traditions are important to consider when attempting to gain an understanding of Japanese religion, it is worth noting that Shinto is the only major religion to originate on Japanese soil. Buddhism originated in India, and through […]
Tag Archives: Shinto
12
Jan
Jan
There are five major religious traditions in Japan. Are: Shinto, that we believe that gods or spirits inhabit all natural places; Buddhism, which teaches liberation from the pain of desire; Taoism, as to nature, recognizing order and change as to opposite but connected forces; Confucianism, emphasizing family, education, social and political order and identity); and […]
01
Mar
Mar
The remarkable changes to Japanese life and religion instigated by Japan’s first military defeat and occupation are undeniable. After 1945, the nationalistic and militaristic trends that grew to prominence during the renewal period of the Meiji Restoration began to reverse, and a new religious landscape began to emerge in Japan reshaped by the Japanese reaction […]
Amaterasu is the supreme goddess of Shintoism, a religion practiced mainly in Japan. As a solar deity, the goddess of the sun, the name Amaterasu means “that which illuminates the heavens.” It is a very appropriate name for a goddess who is considered warm, compassionate and benevolent According to legend, Amaterasu was born from the […]
Spring and summer are the height of wedding season in America, although birthday weddings have recently become more popular than bad singers on American Idol. In Japan, spring is also a great time for weddings, but the Japanese prefer to spend their summer vacations getting together in the cold, fall winter. Japanese weddings are, as […]