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Religion
When Buddhism found its way to Japan, Shinto was already widely practiced throughout the country. Despite that, it still got a warm reception
from the ruling class and was declared the country’s new state religion.
In the beginning, the commoners had difficulty adjusting to Buddhism due to its unfamiliar and complex teachings. They also had minor issues
with it as it clashed with their native religion Shinto. Fortunately, as time passed, both religions eventually found the common ground to thrive
alongside each other.
Buddhist Schools in Japan
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Nara Schools – Introduced to Japan between the 7th and 8th centuries, the Nara Schools consist of six schools — Jojitsu, Hosso,
Sanron, Kegon, Risshu, and Kusha-shu.
Esoteric – Came about in the 9th century, the Esoteric Schools are made up of the Shingon Buddhism and the Tendai or Tiantai.
Kamakura Buddhism – Started between the 12th and 17th centuries, it has three primary groups, the Amida or Pure Land Schools
(which are composed of the Jodo-shu, Jodo Shinshu, Ji-shu, and Yuzu-Nembutsu Schools), the Zen Schools (which include the Rinzai,
Soto, Obaku, and Fuke Schools), and the Nicheren Buddhism School.
Top Buddhist Temples In Japan
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Kiyomizu-dera – Located in Kyoto
Todaiji Temple – Found in Nara
Okunoin Temple – Located in Mount Koya
Ginkakuji – Built along the Higashiyama mountains in Kyoto
Kinkakuji – Found in northern Kyoto
Yamadera Temple – Situated on the mountains of Yamagata City
Hasedera Temple – Located in the mountainous eastern Asuka region
Kokedera – A UNESCO World Heritage temple in Kyoto
Christianity
Comprising less than 1% of the Japanese population, Christianity is a minor religion in Japan. It consists of several denominations, including:
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Roman Catholicism – With approximately 510,000 followers, Catholicism in Japan consists of 16 dioceses that all operate under the
Pope in Vatican City.
Orthodox Christianity – Introduced to Japan in the 1800s, the Orthodox Church in the country has about 30,000 followers.
Protestantism – Constituting only 0.4 % of the Japanese population (or about 510,000 people), Protestantism was brought to Japan in
the 1800s by missionaries from the United States.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) – Comprising of more than 120,000 members, the LDS Church was founded in
Japan in 1901 by American missionaries.
Top Christian Churches In Japan
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Oura Church – Built in the mid-1800s, this is a Western-style Catholic Church in Nagasaki
Holy Resurrection Cathedral – Located in Chiyoda in Tokyo, this is the main Orthodox Church in Japan
Fukuoka Japan Temple – An LDS Church situated in Fukuoka and serves almost 8,000 members from the region
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