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Religion in Japan is manifested primarily in Shinto and in Buddhism, the two main faiths, which Japanese people often practice simultaneously. According to estimates, as many as 70% of the populace follow Shinto rituals to some degree, worshiping ancestors and spirits at domestic altars and public shrines .
Japanese religion, the religious beliefs and practices of the Japanese people. There is no single dominant religion in Japan. Several religious and quasi-religious systems, including Shinto, Confucianism, and Buddhism, exist side by side, and plurality of religious affiliation is common in Japan.
Japan - Shinto, Buddhism, Animism: The indigenous religion of Japan, Shintō, coexists with various sects of Buddhism, Christianity, and some ancient shamanistic practices, as well as a number of “new religions” (shinkō shukyō) that have emerged since the 19th century.
Shinto and Buddhism are Japan's two major religions. Shinto is as old as the Japanese culture, while Buddhism was imported from the mainland in the 6th century. Since then, the two religions have been co-existing relatively harmoniously and have even complemented each other to a certain degree.
The main religions in Japan are Buddhism (69.8%) and Shinto (70.4%). Most Japanese people identify as members of both faiths. The other main religious denominations in Japan are Christianity (1.4%) and other (6.9%), which includes Islam, animism, Judaism, Hindu, and the Baha’i Faith.
The word Shintō, which literally means “the way of kami” (generally sacred or divine power, specifically the various gods or deities), came into use in order to distinguish indigenous Japanese beliefs from Buddhism, which had been introduced into Japan in the 6th century ce.
The history of religion in Japan has been characterized by the predominance of animistic religions practiced by its mainland, Ryukyuan, and Ainu inhabitants. In addition, on the Yamato-dominated mainland, Mahayana Buddhism has also played a profoundly important role.
Religion once featured heavily in Japan’s public sphere, with both Shintō and Buddhism each being the state religion at different points in Japanese history. However, secularism has been a prominent aspect of Japanese society since the introduction of the Constitution of Japan (1947).
According to estimates by the Japanese Government's Agency for Cultural Affairs, as of 2018, Buddhism was the predominant religion in Japan with about 84 million adherents or about 69% of the Japanese population, while Shinto had the second most, though a large number of people practice elements of both. [1]
Shinto, which means ‘way of the gods,’ is Japan’s oldest religion, deeply intertwined with the nation’s history, culture, and identity. It revolves around the veneration of kami, spirits, or deities believed to inhabit the natural world, such as mountains, rivers, trees, and animals.