Japan is one of the most developed capitalist countries, which is a vivid example of how a high level of economy, modern lifestyle and ancient religious traditions harmoniously coexist with each other. There is no rigid framework in the choice of religion, moreover, almost every Japanese does not consider himself to be one faith. About 70 percent of the population are considered atheists, although almost all the inhabitants of the land of the rising sun throughout their lives resort to rituals and rituals of various religions. So, the wedding ceremony is held according to the canons of Shintoism or Christianity, and the funeral of the deceased is always carried out in Buddhist temples. Almost a third of the entire population during the New Year festivals makes mass pilgrimages to Buddhist temples and shrines. The opening of various enterprises and shops is also accompanied by religious rites.
Religion of Japan - Shinto
This religion is considered the oldest, it appeared back in feudal Japan. Shinto is based on worship of various deities and the cult of the spirits of the departed. Literally, the term "Shintoism" can be translated as "the path of the gods."
The ancient system of religious beliefs says that most things and phenomena have a spiritual essence - kami. Life invisible to the human eye can exist in an earthly material object, which in the traditional sense is not an animate object, that is, it can be a stone, a tree, a certain sacred place (temple, monument) or even a natural object (mountains, hills, rivers). Kami can also represent natural phenomena. All other spiritual entities (most often the spirits of deceased ancestors), according to fans of Shintoism, are the patrons of families or whole clans. Kami are incorruptible and involved in the constant cycle of death and birth.
This religion of Japan popularizes life in harmony and harmony with people and nature, it unites the whole world in a single environment. Shinto has a very peculiar concept of good and evil, alien to the perception of European man. So, hostility between antagonistic kami is considered quite natural. Shintoism does not preclude, but rather even encourages protection from evil entities or even their submission with the help of peculiar rituals. At the same time, religion promotes the effectiveness of amulets and talismans, magic and totemism.
The main religion of Japan is Buddhism
This is perhaps the most common belief in the land of the rising sun, which appeared in the 6th century. Its distributors were five monks who arrived from the "Country of the Red East" - probably it was Korea and India.
Over the 1,500 years of its existence, the religion of Japan has become very heterogeneous. So, at present, there are a huge number of Buddhist movements and schools specializing in completely different aspects of the ancient teachings. Some preach philosophy, others - the art of meditation, others - culture, fourth - reading mantras and learning rituals.
Despite such a "diversity" and the variety of schools of Buddhism, they are all in demand and popular among various segments of the population - monks, scholars, politicians, ordinary people.
Religion of Japan - Christianity
In the 16th century, Christianity came to the country, and it should be noted that the preachers of this religion were not at all friendly: most of the missionaries were executed, the other - renounced their faith, the third - went underground. The reason for this was the too active invasion of Catholicism in the political sphere.
Today, this religion of Japan, like all others, is no longer a taboo. Moreover, almost 17 percent of the country's inhabitants consider themselves true Christians.