The Japanese people don’t necessarily believe in just one kind of religion unlike other countries while there is a certain religion that is being followed by the majority. There are still several other religions that groups of people follow and believe in. Japanese people don’t really want to distinguish what their religion really is; in fact their day-to-day lives are usually based on a mix of teachings from Buddhism and Shintoism.

Japanese religion is usually based on syncretism where people can believe and practice all sorts of different Japanese religion and nobody will take it against you. For example, a person may go to a Christian church but practice the teachings of Buddhism. Although out of all of these Japanese religions, Shintoism can be considered as the most common religion for Japanese people.

The Japanese religion of Shintoism started way back in the 16th century wherein it was used to bring unity back among the Japanese. The leaders of the Meiji Restoration have adopted the Japanese religion of Shintoism and declared it as the Japanese religion, the state even supported their claim and Shintoism wasn’t to be confused with the teaching of Buddhism anymore.

After World War II, due to the pressure that the Emperor got from the Americans to stop supporting Shintoism, it has now become a religion that is widely accepted for its rich history and strong affinity with nature. A lot of the shrines that are part of the Shintoirsm religion have been used for weddings while others are a good place to go sight seeing. A lot of the festivals that are a part of the Shintoism religion are still widely celebrated until today and most Japanese household still have a mini shrine in their homes wherein they give offerings to their Shinto deities.

Other common Japanese religions are the following:

Buddhism – this religion came to Japan way back in the 6th century and continued to have a great influence not just in Japanese religion but in the arts as well as how they live their day to day lives as well. Most of the funerals that are held in Japan are being officiated by the Buddhist priests, in spite of whatever religion that the family believes in, everybody’s welcome.

Daoism – is another religion that originated from China, it has been closely linked with Zen Buddhism wherein the religion gives importance to having harmony with nature. The Japanese look to Daoism when it comes to picking out auspicious dates for important events in their lives as well as the healing benefits from nature. The various practices that are involved in Daoism are widely evident with how the Japanese people live their lives today. Apart from having a great influence on society, Daoism also has a profound influence on the native Japanese rituals as well as other shamanistic traditions.