Who are the Japanese gods and goddesses?
Sodia Gomi N.S. Gill is a Latinist and freelance writer with a longtime focus on the classical world, who has taught Latin and assisted in history classes. Japanese gods and goddesses are mostly those of the traditional religion of Japan, known as Shinto ("The Way of the Gods"), or kami-no-michi.
Was the emperor of Japan worshipped?
It’s important to note that at this time the emperor was believed to have divine lineage, but he was not worshipped directly. When the Dutch came to Japan in the sixteenth century, they likened the emperor’s situation to the station of the Pope, with the various regional daimyo like the feudal kings of Europe.
What is the origin of the Japanese myth of the gods?
The story supposedly begins over 2680 years ago, in the so-called Age of the Gods. This is the mythical era in Japanese folklore, during which the old kami (gods) created and ruled the world before supposedly passing it over to the first emperor of Japan in 660 BC.
What is the main religion in Japan today?
Religious Beliefs In Japan. Shintoism and combined Shintoism-Buddhism are the main religions in Japan.
What is the religion of Japan called?
our editorial process. N.S. Gill. Updated June 07, 2018. Japanese gods and goddesses are mostly those of the traditional religion of Japan, known as Shinto ("The Way of the Gods"), or kami-no-michi. The mythologies of Shinto religion were first written down in the 8th century CE, in two documents known as the "Kojiki" (712 CE) ...
Who were the first two gods in Shinto?
The Primordial Couple: Izanami and Izanagi. In Shinto mythology, the first gods who arose out of chaos were two genderless or dual-gendered deities, Kunitokotachi and Amenominakanushi, the supreme being who sits alone in a nine-fold layer of clouds.
What is the Izanagi?
Izanagi is "the Lord who invites you to enter," and the embodiment of all that is bright and heavenly, ruling the sky. Before giving birth to additional gods, they first bore islands, creating the Japanese archipelago.
What are the seven gods of good fortune?
Benten (Benzaiten, Bentensama) is the Buddhist goddess of eloquence, dance, and music, patron saint of the geishas, often represented wearing a jeweled diadem and holding a stringed instrument.
What is the meaning of the word "Daikoku"?
Daikoku or Daikokuten is the god of commerce and prosperity, patron of crooks, farmers, and bankers. Ebisu is a traditional Japanese lucky god, unrelated to other religions, of fishermen, prosperity and wealth in business, crops, and food.
Who is the Shinto goddess of happiness?
Uzume, or Ame-no-Uzume, is the Shinto goddess of joy, happiness, and good health. Uzume danced to bring the Japanese sun goddess Amaterasu back from her cave, ensuring the return of spring sunshine bringing life and fertility. Ninigi (or Ninigi-no-Mikoto), was the grandson of Amaterasu, sent to earth to rule over it.
Who was the first solar god?
Scholars trace the first version of the solar deity as a male, "Amateru Kuniteru Hoakari," or "Heaven and Earth Shining Fire ," but by the 5th century CE, shrines to the goddess Amaterasu were constructed on the Isaru river. As the sun goddess, she is the greatest of the Japanese gods, ruler of the Plain of Heaven.
What religion is practiced in Japan?
Hinduism (ヒンドゥー教 Hindūkyō or 印度教 Indokyō) in Japan is practiced by a small number of people, mostly migrants from India, Nepal, Bali. Nevertheless, Hindu themes have had a significant but indirect role in Japanese culture, through the spread of Buddhism. Four of the Japanese " Seven Gods of Fortune " originated as Hindu deities, including Benzaiten (Sarasvati), Bishamon (Vaiśravaṇa or Kubera), Daikoku (Mahakala/Shiva), and Kisshoutennyo (Laxmi). Various Hindu deities, including the aforementioned, are worshipped in Shingon Buddhism. This denomination, and all other forms of Tantric Buddhism, borrow heavily from Tantric Hinduism.
What religion do Japanese people practice?
Religion in Japan manifests primarily in Shinto and in Buddhism, the two main faiths, which Japanese people often practice simultaneously. According to estimates, as many as 80% of the populace follow Shinto rituals to some degree, worshiping ancestors and spirits at domestic altars and public shrines. An almost equally high number is reported as ...
What is Shinto in the 21st century?
Shinto in the 21st century is the religion of public shrines devoted to the worship of a multitude of gods ( kami ), suited to various purposes such as war memorials and harvest festivals, and applies as well to various sectarian organizations.
What is the Ryukyuan religion?
Main article: Ryukyuan religion. The Ryukyuan religion is the indigenous belief system of the people of Okinawa and the other Ryukyu Islands.
How many Jews are there in Japan?
Judaism (ユダヤ教 Yudayakyō) in Japan is practiced by about 2,000 Jews living in the country. With the opening of Japan to the external world in 1853 and the end of Japan's sakoku foreign policy, some Jews immigrated to Japan from abroad, with the first recorded Jewish settlers arriving at Yokohama in 1861.
How many people are in the Soka Gakkai sect?
The officially recognized new religions number in the hundreds, and total membership reportedly numbers in the tens of millions. The largest new religion, Soka Gakkai, a Buddhist sect founded in 1930, has about 10 million members in Japan.
When did Shinto become a religion?
With the Meiji Restoration in 1868, that involved the centralisation of imperial power and the modernisation of the state, Shinto was made the state religion and an order of elimination of mutual influence of Shinto and Buddhism was enacted, followed by a movement to thoroughly eradicate Buddhism .
What religion is practiced in Japan?
Religious Beliefs In Japan. The Kunozan Toshogu Shrine in Shizuoka, Japan. Shintoism is a unique indigenous religion from Japan. Most who practice Shintoism worship at shrines and to kami without belonging to an actual organized Shinto organization.
When did Christianity come to Japan?
Christianity. Christianity first came to Japan in 1549, six years after Portuguese traders had become active in the country, That year three Jesuit Catholic missionaries, Francis Xavier, Cosme de Torres and Juan Fernández, landed in the city of Kagoshima.
What influences Buddhism in Japan?
It was also around this time that Japan experienced immigration from Korea, as well as cultural influence from China, which influenced Buddhism in Japan since it was a important religion in both those countries.
Why is it harder to classify religions in Japan?
In Japan, it is also harder to classify due to the fact that a lot of the people incorporate practices from multiple religions into their lives and are religious without belonging to any religious organization.
When did Buddhism come to Japan?
Buddhism. Buddhism arrived in Japan at some point around the middle of the 16th Century, having come to Japan from the Kingdom of Baekje (18 BC-660 AD) on the Korean Peninsula. Within a few decades, the religion was increasingly accepted in Japan after overcoming violent opposition from conservative forces in the country.
How many sects are there in Shintoism?
There are thirteen different sects of Sect Shinto that are organized into the different groups of pure Shinto sects, Confucian sects, mountain worship sects, purification sects, and faith-healing sects. Currently, structured Shintoism makes up a small minority of overall Shintoism in Japan.
From Ancient Times to 1868
The most distant period of Japanese history is 神代 Kamiyo the Age of the Gods. In this mythological time, legends tell us that the divine grandson of the sun goddess herself established a court on earth which embarked on illustrious conquests of the Japanese archipelago.
State Shintō and the Empire of Japan
In 1868, a bizarre revolution took place in Japan. Disaffected antiforeign, pro-isolationist samurai used the restoration of imperial rule as a means to topple the current samurai government [iv] which had overseen 250+ years of strict isolationism.
Post-War Japan
There is a famous photo of presumably ordinary Japanese citizens gathered in front of 正門 seimon the main gate of the Imperial Palace [vii] and bowing low to the ground to pay respects to the Shōwa Emperor after he announced Japan’s surrender to Allied Forces at the end of WWII.
Verdict
So, is emperor worship a thing in Japan? The short answer is “No. The Japanese emperor is not a god.” While deeply revered as the descendants of the sun goddess, emperors were never worshiped as living gods except for a short period during the build up to WWII [x].
Published by marky star
I'm a history nerd, a lover of languages, and a long term resident of Tokyo who wants to spread my passion for Japan all over the world. Join me in my deep dives, the more the merrier! View all posts by marky star
The Age of the Gods and the Yamato Dynasty
The story supposedly begins over 2680 years ago, in the so-called Age of the Gods. This is the mythical era in Japanese folklore, during which the old kami (gods) created and ruled the world before supposedly passing it over to the first emperor of Japan in 660 BC.
The Days of the Shōgun and the Meiji Restoration
In the latter half of the 12th century, the Minamoto clan won a war against the Taira clan for influence in the imperial court. By the time the dust had settled, the Minamoto had enough power and influence to effectively take over governance of the country, decentralizing political power across Japan and establishing the Kamakura Shogunate.
State Shintō
This national fanaticism didn’t come about organically. In fact, it took a concerted effort by the Japanese government to rally the nation to their cause. The Meiji government believed it needed a way to unify national identity to fortify Japan against external influence and compete on the world stage.
World War 2 and the Humanity Declaration
Over the years following that event, the world was exposed to just how fanatical and militaristic the nation of Japan had become. In service to the purportedly divine emperor, Japanese soldiers were willing to go to extreme lengths which terrified their enemies in the Pacific Theatre.
The Aftermath and the Present Day
Understandably, those who were born and raised entirely under the cloud of State Shintō felt entirely lost after the declaration. The whole world that they had known suddenly evaporated overnight, and many struggled to cope with the disillusionment.
In Closing
Above all, the story of Japan’s emperor worship is about the incredible power of myths. They can be a colorful part of culture, or manipulated into propaganda to control and an entire nation.
The Primordial Couple: Izanami and Izanagi
Sun, Moon, and Sea
- Amaterasu (or Amaterasu Omikami) is the Shinto sun goddess and the mythical ancestor of the Japanese imperial family. Her name means "Shining in the Heaven," and her epithet is Omikami, "Great and Exalted Divinity." Scholars trace the first version of the solar deity as a male, "Amateru Kuniteru Hoakari," or "Heaven and Earth Shining Fire," but by ...
Other Gods and Goddesses
- Ukemochi (Ogetsu-no-hime) is a fertility and food goddess, who prepared a feast for Tsukiyomi by facing the ocean and spitting up a fish, facing the forest and vomiting up wild game, and facing a rice paddy and spitting up a bowl of rice. For this, she was killed by Tsukiyomi, but her dead body still produced millet, rice, beans, and silkworms. Uzume, or Ame-no-Uzume, is the Shinto goddes…
Seven Japanese Shinto Gods of Good Fortune
- The Seven Lucky Gods reflect input from both Chinese and Indian religions. 1. Benten (Benzaiten, Bentensama) is the Buddhist goddess of eloquence, dance, and music, patron saint of the geishas, often represented wearing a jeweled diadem and holding a stringed instrument. From the Hindu goddess Saraswati. 2. Hotei (or Budai) was a Zen priest and god of diviners and bartender…
Sources
- Ashkenazi, Michal. Handbook of Japanese Mythology. Santa Barbara: ABC Clio, 2003. Print.
- Leeming, David. "Shinto Mythology." Dictionary of Asian Mythology. Ed. Leeming, David. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. Print.
- Lurker, Manfred. A Dictionary of Gods, Goddesses, Devils and Demons. London: Routledge, 2015. Print.
- Ashkenazi, Michal. Handbook of Japanese Mythology. Santa Barbara: ABC Clio, 2003. Print.
- Leeming, David. "Shinto Mythology." Dictionary of Asian Mythology. Ed. Leeming, David. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. Print.
- Lurker, Manfred. A Dictionary of Gods, Goddesses, Devils and Demons. London: Routledge, 2015. Print.
- Murakami, Fuminobu. "Incest and Rebirth in Kojiki." Monumenta Nipponica43.4 (1988): 455-63. Print.
Overview
Religion in Japan manifests primarily in Shinto and in Buddhism, the two main faiths, which Japanese people often practice simultaneously. According to estimates, as many as 80% of the populace follow Shinto rituals to some degree, worshiping ancestors and spirits at domestic altars and public shrines. An almost equally high number is reported as Buddhist. Syncretic combination…
Main religions
Shinto (神道, Shintō), also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous religion of Japan and of most of the people of Japan. George Williams classifies Shinto as an action-centered religion; it focuses on ritual practices to be carried out diligently in order to establish a connection between present-day Japan and its ancient roots. The written historical records of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki first recorded and codifie…
Religions with fewer adherents
Christianity (キリスト教 Kirisutokyō), in the form of Catholicism (カトリック教 Katorikkukyō), was introduced into Japan by Jesuit missions starting in 1549. In that year, the three Jesuits Francis Xavier, Cosme de Torres and Juan Fernández, landed in Kagoshima, in Kyushu, on 15 August. Portuguese traders were active in Kagoshima since 1543, welcomed by local daimyōs because they imported gun…
Religious practices and holidays
Most Japanese participate in rituals and customs derived from several religious traditions. Life cycle events are often marked by visits to a Shinto shrine and Buddhist temples. The birth of a new baby is celebrated with a formal shrine or temple visit at the age of about one month, as are the third, fifth, and seventh birthdays (Shichi-Go-San) and the official beginning of adulthood at age twenty (Seijin shiki). The vast majority of Japanese wedding ceremonies have been Christian fo…
Religion and law
In early Japanese history, the ruling class was responsible for performing propitiatory rituals, which later came to be identified as Shinto, and for the introduction and support of Buddhism. Later, religious organization was used by regimes for political purposes; for instance, the Tokugawa government required each family to be registered as a member of a Buddhist temple. In the early 19th century, the government required that each family belong to a shrine instead, and i…
Opposition to organised religion
Shichihei Yamamoto argues that Japan has shown greater tolerance towards irreligion, saying, "Japan had nothing like the trial of Galileo or the 'monkey trial' about evolution. No Japanese Giordano Bruno was ever burned at the stake for atheism".
• Shin'ichi Hisamatsu, philosopher and scholar who rejected theism, claimed that God or Buddha, as objective beings, are mere illusions.
See also
• Ainu religion
• Koshinto
• Religion in Asia
• Religion in China
• Religion in Korea
Sources
• LeFebvre, J. (2015). Christian Wedding Ceremonies: “Nonreligiousness” in Contemporary Japan. Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, 42(2), 185–203. http://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/nfile/4454
• LeFebvre, J. (2021). The Oppressor's Dilemma: How Japanese State Policy toward Religion Paved the Way for Christian Weddings. Journal of Religion in Japan. https://brill.com/view/journals/jrj/aop/article-1163-22118349-20210001/article-1163-22118349-2…