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Buddhism In Japan

Buddhism in Japan was a late starter compared to most of the rest of the world. The tenets of the philosophy were first introduced back in the 6th century.

As with many aspects of Japanese culture that have been adapted and assimilated over the years, Buddhism first entered the country from Korea and China.

Some Buddhist Background And History

Buddhism is based on the principles and teachings of Gautama Buddha who was born Siddhartha Gautama in India around 485 BCE.

It is believed that Siddhartha, whose father controlled the kingdom, lived in a closed world. He finally saw the outside world for the first time in his life at the age of 29 and he saw what are referred to in Buddhism as the "Four Sights:"

• an old man
• a diseased man
• an ascetic
• and a corpse

On seeing these sufferings of people, Siddhartha decided to find out the root cause of all the sufferings in the world. He soon abandoned his royal life, became an ascetic himself, and started meditating.

After six years, at the age of 35, he became enlightened and attained his goal of spiritual awakening. Soon he was referred to as The Buddha.

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Buddhism In Japan - What Is It?

When it first arrived, Buddhism in Japan was embraced by the Imperial household and the ruling classes but it made little impact, if any, on the average Japanese family. Over time, however, as acceptance and incorporation of the tenets were blended with aspects of the Shinto religion, the ideas behind the philosophy started to spread.

One example of this acceptance is seen in the belief that the "kami" spirits from Shinto were perceived to be manifestations of the Buddhas in the Buddhist philosophy. The co-existence of the two indendent belief systems can be seen throughout the year during a variety of special celebrations:

Japanese New Years Eve is celebrated at Buddhist temples in Japan by the ringing the tsura-gane bell 108 times. However the Japanese New Year is then welcomed in by visits to the local Shinto shrine. Japanese people participate in both activities and there is no sense of having to belong to one or the other religion.

When you get married in Japan it is traditional to have a Shinto wedding. Funerals, on the other hand, follow the Buddhist way.

Other Buddhist celebrations include the Obon festival in August and both the Vernal Equinox and Autumn Equinox days on the Japanese calendar.

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Visit The Daibutsu In Kamakura

So what if you want to see some of the elements of Buddhism in Japan?

In and around Tokyo there are many Buddhist temples but if you're interested in this aspect of Japanese culture we'd highly recommend a visit to the Daibutsu (Big Buddha) in the grounds of Kotokuin Temple in Kamakura. The statue is hollow inside and for a few yen you can clamber up the stairs to see inside him.

Cast from bronze, the Daibutsu is believed to have taken his place on his pedestal in 1252 when Kamakura was Japan's capital city. He has had to be patched up over the years as he's been shaken and tested in a variety of ways, including being hit by a tsunami after a particularly powerful earthquake in 1498.

He certainly fits his name of Daibutsu. He's big... and heavy! He stands at 13.35 meters tall and weighs approximately 93 tons.

Besides the Daibutsu, Kamakura also has many Buddhist temples that you can explore over a day or two for a real Buddhism in Japan adventure!

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Spend Time With The Soto Sect And Experience Zen First Hand

If you'd like to experience Buddhism in Japan in a more hands on way, then the Soto Zen School might have the answer for you.

The Soto Zen School of Buddhism has temples located all over Japan with two head temples. One is the Eiheiji temple in Fukui Prefecture while the other is Soujiji temple in Tsurumi, Yokohama. If you're visiting Tokyo, Yokohama is easy to get to on the Toyoko Line from Shibuya Station and this temple offers more than just a chance to walk and look.

For more information about the Yokohama temple visit the Soujiji Temple page on their site.

If you're traveling to other areas in Japan and want to visit a Soto Zen temple in a different area, see their page of information on temples for visitors. Scroll down below the map at the top of the page and you'll see a list of the prefectures with the clickable links to the temples in each one. If you follow these links it takes you to a page for that temple which includes details about opening times, meditation and other classes that you can participate in, entrance fees, and directions.

Here's a direct link to the Kichijoji temple in Tokyo.