Religion in Japan
June 03, 2022
Religious identity works differently in Japan compared to the west. While the majority of Japanese follow a mix of Shinto and Buddhist tradition, they do not identify as Shintoists or Buddhists. The label of Shintoist is applied to members of Shinto sects, rather than everyday Japanese who practice aspects of Shintoism. With how personalized the beliefs and practices of Japan are for each Japanese person, I can’t hope to accurately comment on what Shintoism and Buddhism means in Japan. Instead, I will let the following pictures speak for themselves, leaving the deeper meaning up to the observer.
~ JHE
