The Japanese Religion

The Japanese culture is the result of the influences of both China and Korea. This can actually be traced or found in the Japanese literature, music, art, and religion. Shintoism and Buddhism are the two main religions of Japan.

Shintoism is characterized by the veneration of nature as the Japanese strongly believe that spirits reside in the rivers, trees, animals, waterfalls, etc. Japanese built many shrines in honor of these spirits.

Buddhism, on the other hand, reached Japan through China and Korea in the early 552A.D. It has since become the most important religion in Japan. Today, many Japanese people practice both Shintoism and Buddhism, while some others practice other beliefs such as Zen, Shin, Jodo, and Nichire.