{"id":703,"date":"2024-12-07T00:00:05","date_gmt":"2024-12-06T15:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/?p=703"},"modified":"2025-01-14T16:33:48","modified_gmt":"2025-01-14T07:33:48","slug":"japans-religious-harmony-gods-in-daily-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/japans-religious-harmony-gods-in-daily-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Japan's Religious Harmony: Gods in Daily Life"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/japans-religious-harmony-gods-in-daily-life\/#Questions_from_Readers\" >Questions from Readers<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/japans-religious-harmony-gods-in-daily-life\/#Relationship_with_Multiple_Religions\" >Relationship with Multiple Religions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/japans-religious-harmony-gods-in-daily-life\/#Part_of_Annual_Events\" >Part of Annual Events<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/japans-religious-harmony-gods-in-daily-life\/#As_Life_Events\" >As Life Events<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/japans-religious-harmony-gods-in-daily-life\/#Coexistence_of_Tourism_and_Faith\" >Coexistence of Tourism and Faith<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/japans-religious-harmony-gods-in-daily-life\/#Gods_Dwelling_in_Nature_and_Phenomena\" >Gods Dwelling in Nature and Phenomena<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/japans-religious-harmony-gods-in-daily-life\/#The_Toilet_God\" >The Toilet God<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/japans-religious-harmony-gods-in-daily-life\/#My_Personal_Relationship_with_Religion\" >My Personal Relationship with Religion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/japans-religious-harmony-gods-in-daily-life\/#Questions_for_Readers\" >Questions for Readers<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Questions_from_Readers\"><\/span>Questions from Readers<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Recently, I received a question from a reader about my goshuin article asking \"Can non-believers receive goshuin (temple\/shrine stamps)?\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u5148\u65e5\u306e\u5fa1\u6731\u5370\u306e\u8a18\u4e8b\u306b\u3064\u3044\u3066\u8aad\u8005\u306e\u65b9\u304b\u3089\u300c\u5fa1\u6731\u5370\u306f\u4fe1\u8005\u3067\u306a\u304f\u3066\u3082\u3082\u3089\u3048\u307e\u3059\u304b\uff1f\u300d\u3068\u3044\u3046\u8cea\u554f\u3092\u3044\u305f\u3060\u304d\u307e\u3057\u305f\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/2024\/11\/30\/goshuin-japans-commemorative-stamps\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/2024\/11\/30\/goshuin-japans-commemorative-stamps\/\">https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/2024\/11\/30\/goshuin-japans-commemorative-stamps\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As long as you follow proper etiquette and treat the goshuin with respect as a memorial of your visit, there is absolutely no problem. I myself am not a believer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u30de\u30ca\u30fc\u3092\u5b88\u308a\u3001\u53c2\u62dd\u3057\u305f\u8a18\u5ff5\u3068\u3057\u3066\u5fa1\u6731\u5370\u3092\u5927\u5207\u306b\u6271\u3046\u306a\u3089\u3001\u5168\u304f\u554f\u984c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u305b\u3093\u3002\u79c1\u81ea\u8eab\u3001\u4fe1\u8005\u3067\u306f\u3042\u308a\u307e\u305b\u3093\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I was planning to write about temples I visited in Nara, but first I'd like to explain the unique religious perspective of Japanese people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u4eca\u56de\u306f\u5948\u826f\u3067\u8a2a\u308c\u305f\u304a\u5bfa\u306b\u3064\u3044\u3066\u66f8\u304f\u3064\u3082\u308a\u3067\u3057\u305f\u304c\u3001\u305d\u306e\u524d\u306b\u65e5\u672c\u4eba\u306e\u72ec\u7279\u306a\u5b97\u6559\u89b3\u306b\u3064\u3044\u3066\u3054\u8aac\u660e\u3057\u3088\u3046\u3068\u601d\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Relationship_with_Multiple_Religions\"><\/span>Relationship with Multiple Religions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many Japanese people incorporate multiple religious elements into their daily lives and annual events without any sense of contradiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u65e5\u672c\u4eba\u306e\u591a\u304f\u306f\u3001\u8907\u6570\u306e\u5b97\u6559\u7684\u306a\u8981\u7d20\u3092\u65e5\u5e38\u751f\u6d3b\u3084\u5e74\u4e2d\u884c\u4e8b\u306e\u4e00\u90e8\u3068\u3057\u3066\u3001\u9055\u548c\u611f\u306a\u304f\u751f\u6d3b\u306b\u53d6\u308a\u5165\u308c\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This might be quite different from monotheistic religions that tend to be more exclusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u3053\u308c\u306f\u3001\u6392\u4ed6\u7684\u306a\u4e00\u795e\u6559\u3068\u306f\u5927\u304d\u304f\u7570\u306a\u308b\u8003\u3048\u65b9\u304b\u3082\u3057\u308c\u307e\u305b\u3093\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Part_of_Annual_Events\"><\/span>Part of Annual Events<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Particularly during the New Year season, there are events related to multiple religions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u7279\u306b\u5e74\u672b\u5e74\u59cb\u306f\u8907\u6570\u306e\u5b97\u6559\u306b\u95a2\u308f\u308b\u884c\u4e8b\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>People enjoy Christmas, visit Buddhist temples for grave visits at year-end, and go to Shinto shrines for New Year's prayers. Christmas is Christian, temples are Buddhist, and shrines are Shinto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u30af\u30ea\u30b9\u30de\u30b9\u3092\u697d\u3057\u307f\u3001\u5e74\u672b\u306b\u306f\u304a\u5bfa\u306b\u304a\u5893\u53c2\u308a\u306b\u884c\u304d\u307e\u3059\u3002\u5e74\u660e\u3051\u306b\u306f\u795e\u793e\u306b\u304a\u53c2\u308a\u306b\u884c\u304d\u307e\u3059\u3002\u30af\u30ea\u30b9\u30de\u30b9\u306f\u30ad\u30ea\u30b9\u30c8\u6559\u3001\u304a\u5bfa\u306f\u4ecf\u6559\u3001\u795e\u793e\u306f\u795e\u9053\u3067\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"As_Life_Events\"><\/span>As Life Events<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While funerals are held at temples and family graves are located there, people freely choose churches or shrines for weddings according to their preference. Most people don't have deep knowledge of the religious doctrines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u304a\u846c\u5f0f\u306f\u304a\u5bfa\u3067\u884c\u3044\u3001\u304a\u5bfa\u306b\u304a\u5893\u304c\u3042\u3063\u3066\u3082\u3001\u7d50\u5a5a\u5f0f\u306f\u597d\u307f\u3067\u6559\u4f1a\u3084\u795e\u793e\u3092\u9078\u3076\u3068\u3044\u3046\u611f\u899a\u3067\u3059\u3002\u6559\u7fa9\u3092\u6df1\u304f\u77e5\u3089\u306a\u3044\u4eba\u304c\u307b\u3068\u3093\u3069\u3067\u306f\u306a\u3044\u3067\u3057\u3087\u3046\u304b\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Coexistence_of_Tourism_and_Faith\"><\/span>Coexistence of Tourism and Faith<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Shrines and temples are also popular as tourist destinations. When I receive goshuin at shrines and temples, it's not for religious reasons. Carrying lucky charms and displaying talismans at home are seen more as part of lifestyle customs rather than expressions of particular religious faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u795e\u793e\u3084\u304a\u5bfa\u306f\u89b3\u5149\u5730\u3068\u3057\u3066\u3082\u89aa\u3057\u307e\u308c\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002\u79c1\u304c\u795e\u793e\u3084\u304a\u5bfa\u3067\u5fa1\u6731\u5370\u3092\u3044\u305f\u3060\u304f\u306e\u3082\u5b97\u6559\u7684\u306a\u7406\u7531\u3067\u306f\u3042\u308a\u307e\u305b\u3093\u3002\u304a\u5b88\u308a\u3092\u6301\u3061\u6b69\u3044\u305f\u308a\u3001\u5384\u9664\u3051\u306e\u304a\u672d\u3092\u5bb6\u306b\u98fe\u3063\u305f\u308a\u3059\u308b\u306e\u3082\u3001\u7279\u5225\u306b\u300c\u4fe1\u4ef0\u3057\u3066\u3044\u308b\u300d\u3068\u3044\u3046\u610f\u8b58\u3068\u3044\u3046\u3088\u308a\u306f\u3001\u751f\u6d3b\u7fd2\u6163\u306e\u4e00\u90e8\u3068\u3057\u3066\u53d7\u3051\u6b62\u3081\u3089\u308c\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gods_Dwelling_in_Nature_and_Phenomena\"><\/span>Gods Dwelling in Nature and Phenomena<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This flexible and tolerant religious perspective might come from the belief that gods dwell in mountains, rivers, large trees, and all natural phenomena. Respect for nature is also a characteristic of Japanese religious views.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u67d4\u8edf\u3067\u5bdb\u5bb9\u306a\u5b97\u6559\u89b3\u306f\u3001\u5c71\u3084\u5ddd\u3001\u5927\u304d\u306a\u6728\u3005\u3001\u3042\u3089\u3086\u308b\u81ea\u7136\u3084\u73fe\u8c61\u306b\u795e\u69d8\u304c\u5bbf\u308b\u3068\u3044\u3046\u8003\u3048\u65b9\u304b\u3089\u6765\u3066\u3044\u308b\u306e\u304b\u3082\u3057\u308c\u307e\u305b\u3093\u3002\u81ea\u7136\u3092\u5927\u5207\u306b\u3059\u308b\u5fc3\u3082\u65e5\u672c\u4eba\u306e\u5b97\u6559\u89b3\u306e\u7279\u5fb4\u3067\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Japanese folktales and Studio Ghibli movies like \"Spirited Away\" and \"Princess Mononoke\" feature many unique gods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u65e5\u672c\u306e\u6c11\u8a71\u3084\u30b8\u30d6\u30ea\u306e\u6620\u753b\u300c\u5343\u3068\u5343\u5c0b\u306e\u795e\u96a0\u3057\u300d\u3084\u300c\u3082\u306e\u306e\u3051\u59eb\u300d\u306a\u3069\u306b\u3082\u3001\u500b\u6027\u7684\u306a\u795e\u69d8\u304c\u305f\u304f\u3055\u3093\u51fa\u3066\u304d\u307e\u3059\u306d\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Toilet_God\"><\/span>The Toilet God<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you know the song \"The Toilet God\"? The lyrics tell of a childhood memory where grandmother taught that a beautiful goddess lives in the toilet, and if you clean it well, you'll become beautiful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u300c\u30c8\u30a4\u30ec\u306e\u795e\u69d8\u300d\u3068\u3044\u3046\u6b4c\u3092\u77e5\u3063\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059\u304b\u3002\u6b4c\u8a5e\u306b\u306f\u5b50\u3069\u3082\u306e\u9803\u3001\u304a\u3070\u3042\u3061\u3083\u3093\u306b\u300c\u30c8\u30a4\u30ec\u306b\u306f\u7f8e\u3057\u3044\u5973\u795e\u69d8\u304c\u3044\u3066\u3001\u7dba\u9e97\u306b\u6383\u9664\u3059\u308b\u3068\u7f8e\u3057\u304f\u306a\u308c\u308b\u3088\u300d\u3068\u6559\u3048\u3089\u308c\u305f\u3068\u3044\u3046\u30a8\u30d4\u30bd\u30fc\u30c9\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"My_Personal_Relationship_with_Religion\"><\/span>My Personal Relationship with Religion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As for me, I'm interested in history, architecture, and culture, and I enjoy visiting shrines and temples as a tourist. While I'm not religious, I find peace when I visit these places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u3055\u3066\u3001\u79c1\u306f\u6b74\u53f2\u3084\u5efa\u7bc9\u3001\u6587\u5316\u306b\u8208\u5473\u304c\u3042\u308a\u3001\u89b3\u5149\u3067\u795e\u793e\u3084\u304a\u5bfa\u5de1\u308a\u3092\u3059\u308b\u306e\u304c\u597d\u304d\u3067\u3059\u3002\u4fe1\u4ef0\u306f\u3057\u3066\u3044\u307e\u305b\u3093\u304c\u3001\u53c2\u62dd\u3059\u308b\u3068\u5fc3\u304c\u843d\u3061\u7740\u304d\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Questions_for_Readers\"><\/span>Questions for Readers<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you feel hesitant about praying at temples or shrines if you're not a believer? Also, are non-believers like myself welcome to enter religious buildings in your country? I'd love to hear your thoughts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u3042\u306a\u305f\u306f\u3001\u4fe1\u8005\u3067\u306a\u3044\u306e\u306b\u304a\u5bfa\u3084\u795e\u793e\u3067\u304a\u7948\u308a\u3092\u3059\u308b\u3053\u3068\u306b\u62b5\u6297\u304c\u3042\u308a\u307e\u3059\u304b\uff1f\u307e\u305f\u3001\u3042\u306a\u305f\u306e\u56fd\u306e\u5b97\u6559\u7684\u306a\u5efa\u7269\u306b\u3001\u79c1\u306e\u3088\u3046\u306a\u4fe1\u8005\u3067\u306a\u3044\u8005\u304c\u7acb\u3061\u5165\u308b\u3053\u3068\u306f\u6b53\u8fce\u3055\u308c\u307e\u305b\u3093\u304b\uff1f\u826f\u304b\u3063\u305f\u3089\u6559\u3048\u3066\u304f\u3060\u3055\u3044\u306d\u3002<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Questions from Readers Recently, I received a question from a reader about my goshuin article asking \"Can non-believers \u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":707,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=703"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/703\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":925,"href":"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/703\/revisions\/925"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/707"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hereinjapan.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}