A Buddhist temple is where Buddhist statues are enshrined and monks practice. People visit there to pray for their wishes and seek the peace of mind.
There are about 75,000 Buddhist temples, which are more numerous than convenience stores. Do you think it means that the Japanese are religious? It’s hard to say, “Yes, we are.” Its reason is closely connected with the history of Buddhism in Japan.
Buddhism was introduced to Japan in the 6th century.
Before that, the Japanese believed in Shinto, Japan’s indigenous religion. Since Shinto is polytheistic, Buddhist deities were taken into Shinto deities. That is called syncretism of Buddhism and Shinto. Therefore Buddhism in Japan is very different from in other countries.
In the 12th century, the great Zen teacher Eisai brought Zen Buddhism from China. Some sects are regarded as Zen Buddhism because Zen meditation is a fundamental training method. The traditional culture, such as ink painting, tea ceremony, flower arrangement called ikebana, and dry landscape gardens, have developed through Zen Buddhism.
In the 17th century, the Tokugawa shogunate adopted the system where commoners had to register with a temple, and it controlled the religious activities of temples and commoners. It weakened the spiritual power of Buddhism and caused the corruption of monks.
In the 19th century, the modern government strengthened Shinto, issuing the Ordinance Distinguishing Shinto and Buddhism. It triggered a movement for the abolition of Buddhism. Although some people are still dedicated Buddhists, I think more people became less religious. For many Japanese, religious activities remain a custom or a part of life.
