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Hinduism in Japan

Japanese Hindus
日本のヒンズー教徒
The "Om" symbol in Katakana[a]
Statues of Benzaiten (Saraswati), Kangiten (Ganesh), and Bishamonten (Kubera) in the historic Daishō-in temple
Total population
Increase 166,550 (0.1%) (2022)
Languages
Liturgical: Sanskrit, Old Tamil
Hinduism by country
Africa
Asia
Europe
North America
Caribbean
Oceania
South America
Full list

Hinduism is a minority religion in Japan mainly followed by the Indian, Sri Lankan and Nepali expatriate residents of Japan, who number about 166,550 people as of 2022. It's also widely integrated into the native Shinto-Buddhist religion which has had a significant impact on Japanese culture; Buddhism being an Indian religion is largely related to Hinduism, and most of its cultural practices are similar to those found in Hinduism.[1]

History

Depiction of Hindu deity Krishna playing the flute in a temple constructed in 752 CE on the order of Emperor Shomu, Todai-ji Temple, Great Buddha Hall in Nara, Japan

Hinduism diffused throughout East Asia via trade routes, and also through the expansion of Buddhism in the sixth century. [2] There has also been significant transfer of Hindu-derived material native to China and South East Asia into Japan over the past two millennia.[3][4][5]

Diffusion of Hinduism in Japan

Hindu deities have been integrated into Japanese religious culture and several deities are worshiped for good luck.[6] In fact there are many deities that are still worshiped in Japan which have long been forgotten in India.[7]

Saraswati (Benzaiten) is arguably the most revered deity in Japan after the Buddha.[8] She forms as a part of the "Seven Gods of Fortune", of which four originated as Hindu deities: Benzaitensama (Sarasvati), Bishamon (Vaiśravaṇa or Kubera), Daikokuten (Mahākāla or Shiva), and Kichijōten (Lakshmi). The last, along with Benzaitennyo (Saraswati) and the female version of Daikokuten completes the nipponized Tridevi of Great Goddesses.[9]

Benzaiten shrine, Inokashira Park

The Hindu god of death, Yama, is known in his Buddhist form as Enma. Garuda, the mount (vahana) of Vishnu, is known as the Karura (迦楼羅), an enormous, fire-breathing creature in Japan. It has the body of a human and the face or beak of an eagle. Tennin originated from the apsaras.[citation needed]

Ganesha (or Kangiten) is prayed to for health, success and good fortune. Many Japanese Buddhist deities (or Tenbu) have their roots in Hinduism and are still revered by many Japanese particularly in Shingon Buddhism.[citation needed]

Other examples of Hindu influence on Japan include the belief of "six schools" or "six doctrines" as well as use of yoga and pagodas.[citation needed]

People have written books on the worship of Hindu gods in Japan.[10] Even today, it is claimed Japan encourages a deeper study of Hindu Gods.[11]

List of Hindu gods in Japanese culture

Deities[12]
English Japanese Thai-Brahmi Devanagari-Sanskrit
Agni 火天 พระอัคนี अग्नि
Ganesh 歓喜天 พระพิฆเนศวร गणेश
Garuda 迦楼羅 ครุฑ गरुड़
Lakshmi 吉祥天 พระลักษมี लक्ष्मी
Virupak 広目天 ท้าววิรูปักษ์ विरूपाक्ष
Prithvi 地天 พระปฤถวี पृथ्वी
Varuna 水天 พระพิรุณ वरुण
Viruthak 増長天 ท้าววิรุฬหก विरूढक
Dakini 荼枳尼天 ฑากิณี डाकिणी
Mahakala 大黑天 มหากาฬ महाकाल
Apsara 天人 อัปสร अप्सरा
Sakr 帝釈天 ท้าวสักกะ शक्र
Surya 日天 พระอาทิตย์ सूर्य
Brahma 梵天 พระพรหม ब्रह्मा
Vaishravana 毘沙門天 ท้าวเวสวัณ वैश्रवण
Saraswati 弁才天 พระสุรัสวดี सरस्वती
Vayu 風天 พระพาย वायु
Rahu 羅睺 พระราหู राहु
Rakshassa 羅刹天 รากษส राक्षस
Ishana 伊舎那天 พระอีศาน ईशान
Skanda 韋駄天 พระเวทโพธิสัตว์ स्कन्द
Yama 閻魔天 พระยม यम

Present situation

Hinduism is practiced mainly by the Nepali, Indian and Sri Lankan migrants, although there are others. As of 2022, there are 40,917 Sri Lankans, 40,752 Indians and 125,798 Nepalis in Japan.[13][14]

The few Hindu temples in Japan are as follows:

The Association of Religion Data Archives estimated that 24,182 Hindus in Japan as of 2020.[15]

References

  1. ^ "Buddhism and Hinduism". obo. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
  2. ^ Acharya, Amitav. "Journey to the East: The Hindu-Buddhist Making of Southeast Asia". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  3. ^ Pant, Don McLain Gill & Harsh V. (2023-11-21). "India and Japan Converge in Southeast Asia". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  4. ^ "Southeast Asia: History and Culture – Japan society for Southeast Asian Studies". Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  5. ^ "Southeast Asia and Japan: Linked by Ties of Cultural Exchange". The Government of Japan - JapanGov -. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  6. ^ "Japan's Hindu Linkages Still Alive". hwpi.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  7. ^ "Hindu deities in Japan". Frontline. 2015-09-16. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  8. ^ "'Saraswati is the most revered deity in Japan, after the Buddha': Filmmaker Benoy Behl". The Indian Express. 2019-05-11. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  9. ^ "Butsuzōzui (Illustrated Compendium of Buddhist Images)" (in Japanese). Ehime University Library. 1796. p. (059.jpg). Archived from the original (digital photos) on 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2016-04-28.
  10. ^ Chaudhuri, Saroj Kumar. Hindu Gods and Goddesses in Japan. (New Delhi, 2003) ISBN 81-7936-009-1.
  11. ^ Mohapatra, Satyen (2023-09-03). "Japan Wants to Encourage Studies of Hindu Gods". The Pluralism Project, Harvard University.
  12. ^ "Hindu Contributions to Japanese Religion" (PDF). Hindu Education. Archived from the original on 2006-10-21. Retrieved May 14, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  13. ^ Ministry of Justice Statistics
  14. ^ "データセット一覧". e-stat (in Japanese). Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  15. ^ "Japan, Religion And Social Profile". thearda.com. Retrieved 2023-06-04.

Notes

  1. ^ オーム (U+30AA & U+30FC & U+30E0)
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