Buddhism, though it is not native to Japan, is the second most practiced religion in the country, and has heavily influenced Japanese culture and philosophy.
Of the many Buddhist schools, the first to arrive in Japan was the Mahayana, which later developed into Zen Buddhism, serving as a foundation for the ways of Japanese warriors (the bushido of the samurai).
Buddhist influence on Japanese society is evident from the thousands of Buddhist temples scattered around the country and the many joyous festivals held during the year. It is safe to say that, without Buddhism, Japan would be a totally different country.
Check out our short article below and learn more about Buddhism in Japan!
Quick Facts
- Buddhism arrived in Japan around the 6th century via the Silk Road.
- Zen Buddhism, for which meditation is the most important practice, is the main Buddhist school in Japan.
- Visiting the temple is an important part of the daily lives of Buddhists.
- Some of the most notable temples are the Senso-ji in Tokyo and the Pure Water Temple in Kyoto.
- Visit Japan during summer to join the celebration for Obon, the most important Buddhist festival.
Buddhism in Japan
Buddhism in Japan has been practiced for more than 5 centuries, and nowadays approximately 34% of the Japanese population identify as Buddhists.
The percentage grows to 75% if we consider those who are not part of a religious organization but still follow Buddhist practices. For example, about 60% of Japanese people have a Buddhist shrine (called Butsudan) in their homes.
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Customized Trip Planning
My experience with Alisa at Asia Highlights has been excellent. I wanted to customize my trip to South Korea and Japan. I made several changes and asked many questions which she answered promptly. My trip included only hotels and transportation because I wanted to explore on my own. This gave me the option to book my own tours if I want. I selected Asia Highlights because of the great reviews and booked because Alisa was helpful in planning my trip. More
JBC, Feb 2024
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Japan Tour
Alisa did a fantastic job, answering all my questions and catering to what I want for our upcoming Japan tour. The itinerary was so detailed! We are so excited for our trip! More
Theresa Beltran, Feb 2024
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The experience of working with Bert was…
The experience of working with Bert was amazing! Everything is clear! The route he introduced and planned for the travel in Japan was amazing! More
Polina Fedorina, Feb 2024
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Outstanding Agent
We haven't taken our trip to Japan yet with Asia Highlights, but I am so impressed by the thoroughness, communication skills, and attention to detail of their hard working agent, Claire Wong. I sent an inquiry to Asia Highlights and immediately I was given Claire as my agent. She designed a trip for my family that works for us and my communications with her via WhatsApp have been excellent. She always gets right back to me with answers and suggestions. Her English is perfect. Because of Claire, I have a very high regard for Asia Highlights, and I'm glad that I chose this company for our trip to Japan. More
Edwin Lowe, Feb 2024
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Japan Trip Planning
Although our travel plans will not materialize for another 2 months, we had the absolute pleasure of working with Bert Hu in putting our trip to Japan together. Bert was extremely professional in meeting our needs and tailoring a trip to our interests. Bert was also quite patient and helpful when we had to change a few details and add a couple days. I'm sure I'll have more wonderful things to say after our experience in Japan. More
John, Feb 2024
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Bert Hu knowledgeable travel adviser.
Hello! My trip adviser Bert Hu gave very clear instructions about the my travel plan to Japan. He is very knowledgeable and guided me step by step. I highly recommend Bert Hu as a personal travel adviser. Thank you for making my future trip easily accessible. More
Fatema Mohammedi, Feb 2024
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Awesome
Such a great company to help us find our next family trip. We have been working with Bert Hu he is very informative and helpful. Looking forward to continuing doing business and our travels to Japan. More
Shaunda, Feb 2024
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It is my first time in Japan
It is my first time in Japan, I am glad that i found Asian highlights especially meeting claire the travel agent! She is amazing. She is very helpful all through out the process, she respond quickly to all my inquiry. She made the process so smooth. During the trip, I have to praise the company for giving us amazing accomodations and the best tour guides. Claire made everything happened. There are few bumps and she solve it right away.She was honest about the things that she can not provide. It is my first time to ask for help from a travel agency , I am glad I found Asia highlights. If I will plan tour in the future I will definitely ask help for this company. I recommended this company to my family and friends! Thankyou once again. More power! Keep it up Claire! More
Cc, Jan 2024
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Claire has listened carefully
Claire has listened carefully to our ideas and has created a highly customized journey for us. She has been very responsive and has shown a deep knowledge of travel options in Japan. More
Michael Brandenburg, Jan 2024
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Sharon from Asia Highlights
I highly recommend Sharon and her tour guidance.She is very patient and utmost polite.I absolutely loved coordinating my iteniery with her although I was unable to travel to Japan this time.She is an absolute gem and I recommend her to make your Japanese holiday an extraordinary and hassle free experience. More
Tess Thomas, Jan 2024
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10 Day Family Vacation in Japan
We had the absolute best time in Japan! Jennifer was our wonderful tour guide in Tokyo and Ho was our amazing tour guide in Kyoto and Osaka. We can’t thank them both enough for making our 10 day sightseeing trip truly a trip of a lifetime!! More
Sabrina Wilmoth, Jan 2024
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Trip to Japan
Family trip to Japan. Excellent itinerary, allowed for seeing many different sights in multiple cities in Japan. The tour was well-paced with enough time to explore on our own in the evenings. Tour guides were knowledgeable, had great attitudes and were accommodating, willing to modify our plans to allow us to see other sights if we wanted to as well. The vans were large and comfortable for the longer drives and water was always provided. More
May, Nov 2023
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Fall in Japan
The local tour guides in each city were so friendly and knowledgeable. They took care of us like we were family. The accommodations and meals were exceptional. We would definitely use this tour company again for future travel needs. More
, Nov 2023
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Alisa Liu is a star to work makes Asia Highlights even better
Alisa Liu was my contact person for Asia Highlights. She was remarkably punctual, she was thoughtful, and she handle an emergency on my end, with grace and patience. She recommended great hotels in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka Japan that put us in the center of the action. The guides she choose were personable, punctual a knowledgeable about their cities. More
Brent Zadorozny, Oct 2023
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Excellent service
Started using Asia Highlights to plan my trip to Japan. Sharon was very helpful, giving me all the information I would need for the tour. I would definitely use Asia Highlights again, when planning another trip to Asia. More
Rachel Nelson, Oct 2023
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Japan tour
Our airport pick-up went very smoothly. Our guide, Vivian, on the second day was very nice, very accommodating, took into account our preferences. In Osaka, our trip to the castle was a very long walk with lots of steps to climb and quite honestly wasn’t very interesting. But Dotonburi is a must-see and we enjoyed that very much.Our trip to Hiroshima was very memorable. I highly recommend it. Our guide, Etsuko, was very knowledgeable and kind. The trip to Miyajima island, on the other hand, wasn’t too memorable. Our next city, Kyoto, is a truly wonderful place to visit. All the temples we went to were very interesting and very distinctive from each other (Kinkakuji temple, Nijo castle, Sanjusangendo temple,Kiyumizo temple, Fushimi Inari shrine, Kasuga Taisha shrine, Tojaidi temple). The sake tour was a downer and wouldn’t recommend it.Our guide, Ritsuko, was a darling. She was very knowledgeable too and kind and warm and easy to talk to. Our last tour in Tokyo was a rainy day and Sue, our guide, was able to change our tour to the next day. She was so efficient and so accommodating and so kind and very knowledgeable too. More
Mrs Cristina Hidalgo Loris, Oct 2023
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Very good tour of Japan
Very good tour around Japan for 10 days, including Tokyo, Hakone and Kyoto. Excellent guides and experiences. Albee, the tour organiser, was always available to sort out changes to itinerary or extra requests. More
Guy Slimmon, Oct 2023
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Everything is good
All of the hotels were wonderful and our guides were super friendly, knowledgeable and flexible. We had a 10 day trip that included multiple cities and lots of different sights, we squeezed in as much as we could, including a 2 day hiking trip to Mt. Fuji (our guide Sun Nan was awesome!). Our guide in Tokyo, Jennifer, was lovely and our guide for 2 days in Kyoto, Dennis, was also super great. We did a food tour in Osaka with Vivian which was nice Sallie Fujimoto-Swun More
Ideale Tran, Oct 2023
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Thank you for the wonderful experience…
Thank you for the wonderful experience we all truely enjoyed. From the beginning (making first contact with Sharon from Asia Highlights) to the end (Saying good bye to our amazing guide Lilly) the experience was top notch. Great communication while preparing the trip and excellent local knowledge of our tour guide. I can highly recommend Asia Highlights and would not hesitate to use them again for our next trip. More
Dany Gruosso, Oct 2023
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Vacations in Japan
The guides Jessie and Vivian were very kind and professionals and the drivers as well. In a future vacation we will get in touch with Asia Highlights without a doubt. More
Hilda Andrade, Oct 2023
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Practice of Buddhism in Japan
Visiting temples is the main activity of a practicing Buddhist. Visiting a temple is a way to honor the Buddha and pay one's respects before his images and altars.
Buddhists will silently contemplate the images, bowing and praying before them; and will make offerings to the temple and the monks living in it.
Pilgrimages are an important part of Buddhism, as with many other religions. One of the most famous and spectacular pilgrimages is the 88 Temple Pilgrimage, which takes several weeks if done by foot. Pilgrims, dressed in white, can be spotted along the roads and inside the temples.
For Zen Buddhism, meditation is fundamental. Such meditation is to banish unnecessary thoughts, free the mind and calm it. Meditation brings valuable insights into the nature of existence, and helps the practitioner gain satori, or enlightenment.
Buddhist Sects in Japan
Buddhism has many different schools and sects, each with slightly different interpretations of doctrine and its application. After the Meiji Restoration, there were officially 13 schools and 56 branches of traditional Buddhism. Zen Buddhism, Shingon, and Tendai are three of the most important schools.
Zen Buddhism
After Mahayana Buddhism arrived in Japan, it slowly developed into Zen Buddhism. It has been influenced by Chinese Buddhism, especially with the concepts of sudden enlightenment and the close connection between humans and nature. The word zen means "meditation", a pivotal concept in Zen Buddhism: meditation is the only way to achieve self-realization.
Shingon
Shingon Buddhism was founded in 816, and is now one of the principal Buddhist schools in the country. It was introduced to Japan by travelling monks, and regards enlightenment as something easily attainable during a lifetime, assuming the proper spiritual and corporal training.
Tendai
Tendai Buddhism was introduced to Japan in 807. It reckons all teaching of the Buddha can be unified into a unique system. Its primary text is the famous Lotus Sutra. The ability to attain enlightenment is within all things, and the world we live in is an expression of Dharma, the Buddhist law.
History of Buddhism in Japan
After originating in India, Buddhism arrived in Han China via the Silk Road in the first century AD. Thanks to the Silk Road, monks kept travelling back and forth throughout India and China, greatly contributing to the development of Buddhism in China.
Mahayana Buddhism reached Japan around the 6th century, passing first through the Korean peninsula. Many volumes of Buddhist scripture and an image of Shakyanumi Buddha were part of a diplomatic gift. Within the span of a hundred years, Buddhism was firmly established in Japanese culture: dozens of temples had been built and hundreds of priests had been ordained.
In the 7th century, Tantra Buddhism reached China, and Tibetan Buddhism became one of its branches. Around the 8th century, however, the transmission of Buddhism via the Silk Road (and Indian Buddhism itself) began to decline, mostly because of the expansion of Muslim influence.
Artistic Influence and Motifs
Buddhist art started developing around the 6th century, displaying a classical style influenced by Greek art and mythology. The Japanese Buddhist pantheon borrows heavily from the Greek one. For example, the wind god Fujin is represented as Boreas, the Greek wind god; and Shukongoshin, protector of the temples, resembles Heracles.
The most striking Greek feature is the floral scroll, to be found almost everywhere on Japanese roof tiles. One of the best examples is Nara temple, where the tiles (from the 7th century) depict grapes and vines.
Notable Temples in Japan
Buddhist temples are sacred places where Buddhists can pray, give offerings to monks, and pay respects to the Buddha. In Japan they are ubiquitous. They share much in common with Shinto Shrines, which were first among all traditional Japanese architecture.
To tourists, temples are beautiful religious buildings at the heart of many festivals every year.
Kiyomizudera Temple, Kyoto
The "Pure Water Temple" is extremely popular in Japan. Founded in 780 near Otowa Waterfall, the temple is famous all over the country for its wooden stage 13 meters above the hillside below. From the stage, you have a magnificent view of the cherry trees below and of the city of Kyoto.
The shrine inside the temple, Jishu Shrine, is dedicated to the god of love and matchmaking.
Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), Kyoto
This temple is known as the "Golden Pavillon", because its two top floors are covered in gold leaves. The structure, built over a pond, is imposing, having been destroyed and reconstructed over the centuries.
Its floors are built in different styles: the first follows the Shinden style, with natural wood pillars and white walls; while the second is built in the Bukke style used for samurai dwellings. The third floor is built like a Chinese Zen Hall.
Todaiji Temple, Nara
The Great Eastern Temple was built during the 8th century as the foremost of all Buddhist temples of Japan, and for a period it was extraordinarily important. The Big Buddha Hall is the largest wooden structure in the world, and houses a 15-meter tall bronze statue of Buddha.
To reach the temple, you will go through the Nandaimon Gate, guarded by two fierce statues representing the Nio Guardian Kings.
Senso-ji Temple, Tokyo
Senso-ji is known as one of the most colorful temples in Tokyo. It was built in 645 for Kannon, the goddess of mercy, and nowadays its gate, Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) is a symbol for the entire capital city.
The path leading to the gate is 200 meters long, with dozens of shops on either side; but the main features of the temple are the main hall, a five-storied pagoda, and the Asakusa Shrine (1649).
The Philosopher's Walk
Nishida Kitaro, a famous Japanese philosopher, used to meditate as he walked along this stone path in Kyoto, surrounded in April by blossoming cherry trees. Today, you will find numerous restaurants, cafes, and boutiques along the path, between the temples and the shrine.
Honen-in is the most famous temple, mainly because of its gate, particularly beautiful during the autumn season. The path follows the Lake Biwa Canal, built during the Meiji Restoration for a hydroelectric power plant.
Etiquette for Visiting Temples
Etiquette for visiting a temple resembles that for visiting any other sacred place: be quiet and respectful. Pray in front of any sacred object and make a small offering (a coin may be enough).
In some temples, there are large incense burners where visitors can buy candles. Light your candle and let it burn for just a few seconds, before extinguishing the flame with a gentle movement of the hand. For Buddhists, the smoke of the incense has healing power, so try to fan some of the smoke back towards yourself.
Remember to take off your shoes before entering a temple, and that taking pictures inside is forbidden.
Obon — an Annual Buddhist Festival
Obon, the most important Buddhist festival in Japan, is held to commemorate ancestors, as it is believed that, on this day, ancestors will return to the world to visit their families. Hundreds of lanterns are hung outside the houses to guide the spirits, and people offer food to the temples and perform the obon dance.
The end of the festival is marked by beautiful floats placed into rivers and lakes, to help guide the spirits to return to their world.
Many regions convene the festival during mid-August (from 13th to 15th), while others celebrate it in July.
Explore Buddhist Culture with Asia Highlights
The long-lasting effects of this centuries-old religion are palpable in many aspects of Japanese culture: greatly contributing to the charm and uniqueness of the culture. Don't delay in planning your next Japanese adventure: with the help of our knowledgeable staff, you will enjoy the hassle-free trip you have been dreaming of.
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It was a whirlwind across a number of cities, but a very comprehensive experience across the many sides and cultures of China. Most days had sufficient activities, but weren’t overwhelming, which was great.Across cities, we had excellent tour guides, like Kitty (Beijing), Jenny (Xian), William (Guilin/Yangshuo), Kris (Shanghai), and Tony (Yellow Mountains.)
moreFrom the time we landed in Beijing until we left, we were well taken care of. My wife and I had Lily Liu as our guide and she was amazing. From arranging visits to all the different sights, to teaching us the history, it was fantastic.
moreThe tour was excellent. Selinda was very knowledgeable about all the aspects of our tour. Selinda was very interesting and knew so much Chinese history
moreWe made a private tour through South China in January 2024. Altogether Chengdu was the highlight. We had an incredible day at Emeishan. In Chengdu our guidewas Helen. She was the diamond of all. Speaking fluently English, full of interesting stories, laughing and talking all the time. We missed her the rest of our tour. We highly recommend to go to Chengdu for 3 days when visiting China, especially with Helen.
moreOther highlights are too many to mention but here are a few Ken taking us to the Terracotta Warriors and our food tour in Xian was amazing,
moreOur day volunteering at the Panda Base was truly unforgettable. Helen, our guide, provided us with invaluable insights about Chengdu and the pandas, enriching our tour with her knowledge and expertise. We're grateful to Helen for accompanying us throughout the day and showcasing the highlights of China.
moreWe had a booking with China Highlights through Silvia Ye who guarenteed a perfect organisation. In Chengdu our guide was Helen. She was the diamond of all. Speaking fluently English, full of interesting stories, laughing and talking all the time. We missed her the rest of our tour. We highly recommend to go to Chengdu for 3 days when visiting China, especially with Helen.
moreWe traveled to China during the Chinese new year and we had Kris as our guide and he is simply knowledgeable,helpful and great.
moreWe visited Guilin for 2 days and stayed in the Guilin Waterfall hotel. Guilin was absolutely beautiful! Our guide, William, was very knowledgeable and kind! He taught us so much about Guilin and the surrounding area! We really enjoyed trying the specialty rice noodles of Guilin. Our highlight was the Li river cruise.
moreAmazing tour and the guide Mr. 贺霄 was very accommodating with our needs and request as we have bought our 2 years old with us. Well explained for all the place we visited. Any additional cost were informed well ahead and didn't felt any pressure if we opt not to go for additional detour. The trip was relaxing/ laid back/no rushing with zero shopping!
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