Ritual and Religion

There's a saying in Japan that you're Shinto at birth (marked with a Shinto ceremony), Christian when you marry (in a Western-style wedding), and Buddhist when you die (honored with a Buddhist funeral). The Japanese take a utilitarian view of religion and use each as suits the occasion.

Today, a trip to Japan will almost certainly bring you into contact with ancient Buddhist and Shinto structures. Each has a storied past.

Buddhism

More than 90 million Japanese are Buddhist. Originating in 6th-century BC India, Buddhism spread through China, Korea, and Japan; it states that the only way to be free of the suffering caused by human desire is to realize your true "Buddha Nature." All Buddhists believe in reincarnation, with the eventual goal of reaching nirvana (the Buddhist equivalent of heaven) in the afterlife. Every conscious being (ant to aardvark) has Buddha Nature and is on this same path. That's why many strict Buddhists are vegetarians.

Karma, good and bad, determines your spiritual journey, and can speed your accent to nirvana or doom you to innumerable lifetimes on earth. Doing good deeds and adhering to tenets like love and compassion help you accumulate good karma. Selfishness, anger, and greed garner bad karma. Bodhisattvas—beings that have achieved nirvana but choose to return to earth to guide others—can appear in any form and offer simple, momentary advice or lifelong guidance.

Japan's nobility welcomed Buddhism, but commoners rejected its complex structure and theories. Different sects evolved making Buddhism more accessible—Pure Land Buddhism, Zen Buddhism, and Nichiren Buddhism—through good works, meditation, and traditional arts like calligraphy and karate. Zen even helped shape Bushido, the samurai warrior code.

Shintoism

Shinto translates as the "kami way;" kami means god or spirit. Followers believe that all things—sun, animals, spirits of the dead, stones, trees, mountains, waterfalls, even the Japanese islands—contain representative spirits. These spirits are honored and worshipped in myriad shrines.

This ancient and indigenous faith relates directly to the creation of the islands and lineage of the emperor. Shinto mythology outlines creation with numerous kamis. Of these, three were the most important—the sun goddess (Amaterasu-o-Mikami); her brother in charge of the Earth (Susa-no-o-no-mikoto); and the Moon Goddess (Tsuki yomi no mikoto) who ruled the realm of darkness.

The grandson of the sun goddess (Ninigi-no-mikoto) was instructed to rule Japan with three divine treasures—a mirror, a sword, and a string of jewels. His great-grandson, Emperor Jimmu Tenno (literally "Jimmu of heaven") assumed human form, and all subsequent emperors of Japan have claimed descent from this divine being.

Shinto has evolved to include strange symbolism, exotic rites and ceremonies, colorful festivals, and a mystical atmosphere in its shrines.

How to Spot Temples and Shrines

A gate marks the entrance to Buddhist temples and sometimes additional gates lead to the main one. Depictions of guardian gods on either side usually wear scowls meant to repel evil. Upon entering, you'll most likely see a pagoda—a Japan-specific structure that's three or five tiered—that stores the remains of the Buddha. Next, the main hall holds sacred statues and images of the Buddha. At the back is the lecture hall, where Buddhist scripture is allowed. While layouts and buildings vary, these main elements can be found at most temples. The grounds might also hold a lavish garden for reflective thinking.

See it: Among Japan's most noted temples are Kinkakuji, in Kyoto, which is covered in gold; Sanjusangendo, also in Kyoto, which contains 1,000 life-size statues; and the Todaiji Temple, in Nara, home to a huge Buddha statue.

Shinto shrines are erected on sites where some manifestation of the local kami has been observed. Shrines are fronted by a torii (gateway), which marks a divine space, and komainu (stone guard dogs). Near the entrance is the chozuya, a water trough for cleansing before praying. In the main hall, there's usually an inner compartment where the kami dwells, with a space in front for offerings adorned with a gohei (zigzag) pattern. People place offerings of salt, rice, water, fruit, flowers, and sake on tables. You'll likely see lucky charms scattered throughout the shrine area, and souvenir stands sell omikuji—papers with a fortune and blessings.

See it: Some of Japan's most important shrines include Nikko's Toshogu Shrine, an ornate mausoleum for Tokugawa Ieyasu; Kyoto's Fushimi Inari Shrine, featuring a series of elaborate torii gates; and Miyajima's Itsukushima Shrine, fronted by a torii gate that rises up from the sea.