Buddhism in Japan
Buddhism in Japan (日本の仏教, Nihon no Bukkyō) was first established in the 6th century CE.[3][4][5] Most of the Japanese Buddhists belong to new schools of Buddhism which were established in the Kamakura period (1185－1333).[6] During the Edo (Tokugawa)-period (1603–1868), Buddhism was controlled by the feudal Shogunate. The Meiji-period (1868–1912) saw a strong response against Buddhism, with persecution and a forced separation between Buddhism and Shinto (Shinbutsu bunri).
As of 2022, around 70.8 million people, or about 67% of Japan's total population, identify as Buddhist. The largest sects of Japanese Buddhism are Pure Land Buddhism with 22 million believers, followed by Nichiren Buddhism with 10 million believers, Shingon Buddhism with 5.4 million, Zen Buddhism with 5.3 million, Tendai Buddhism with 2.8 million, and only about 700,000 for the six old schools established in the Nara period (710－794).[6]
Cultural influence[edit]
Societal influence[edit]
During the Kamakura (1185–1333) and Muromachi (1336–1573) Buddhism, or the Buddhist institutions, had a great influence on Japanese society. Buddhist institutions were used by the shogunate to control the country. During the Edo (1600–1868) this power was constricted, to be followed by persecutions at the beginning of the Meiji era (1868–1912).[84] Buddhist temples played a major administrative role during the Edo period, through the Danka or terauke system. In this, Japanese citizens were required to register at their local Buddhist temples and obtain a certification (terauke), which became necessary to function in society. At first, this system was put into place to suppress Christianity, but over time it took on the larger role of census and population control.
The following Japanese Buddhist holidays are celebrated by most, if not all, major Buddhist traditions:[145]
Some holidays are specific to certain schools or traditions. For example, Zen Buddhist traditions celebrate Daruma-ki on October 15 to commemorate the life of Bodhidharma.
Demographics[edit]
According to estimates by the Japanese Government's Agency for Cultural Affairs, as of 2018, Buddhism was the predominant religion in Japan with about 84 million adherents or about 67% of the Japanese population, while Shinto had the second most, though a large number of people practice elements of both.[1] According to statistics by the Agency for Cultural Affairs in 2023, the religious corporation under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan had 129 million believers, of which 46 million were Buddhists. Most of them were believers of new schools of Buddhism which were established in the Kamakura period (1185－1333).[6] According to these statistics, the largest sects of Japanese Buddhism are the Jōdo Buddhists with 22 million believers, followed by the Nichiren Buddhists with 10 million believers.[6]
There are a wide range of estimates; the Pew Research Center estimated 36.2% of the population in 2010 practiced Buddhism.[146] The Japanese General Social Survey placed the figure at less than 20% of the population in 2017. The 2013 Japanese National Character Survey showed that roughly 70% of the population do not adhere to any religious beliefs.[2] Another survey indicates that about 60% of Japanese families have a butsudan (Buddhist shrine) in their homes.[147] According to a 2012 Pew Research study, Japan has the third largest Buddhist population in the world, after China and Thailand.[148]