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The 10th Jr. Japan Bowl will be on April 24, 2026. Study Guide will be published on November 1, 2025.
Religious Practices in Japan
Religious Practices in Japan
Religion does not play a big role in everyday life of most Japanese, but they follow rituals derived from several religious traditions, like Shintoism, Buddhism, and Christianity. Life cycle events are often marked by participating in a religious ritual or custom. Shintoism or Shinto (しんとう) and Buddhism or Bukkyo (ぶっきょう) are Japan’s two major religions. The two religions co-exist and even complement each other. Shintoism is as old as Japanese culture. Buddhism was imported from China and Korea in the 6th Century. Christianity was introduced by the Portuguese who landed in Kyushu in 1542. The birth of a new baby is often celebrated with a formal Shinto shrine visit. Weddings are often held in the Shinto style, but Christian weddings are also popular. Funerals are most often performed by Buddhist priests.
“Tera” (寺・てら＝temples) are places where Buddhist images are housed, and priests and nuns reside and hold Buddhist services. and 75,000 temples throughout Japan.
寺 means temple. Onyomi for 寺 is “ji” and Kunyomi is “tera”. So Todai-ji means Todai temple.
Shrine-じんじゃ・神社
Shrine-じんじゃ・神社
“Jinja” (神社・じんじゃ＝shrine) is where the gods of Japan’s indigenous religion are worshiped. 神 means god, 社 in the word 神社 means house. On-Yomi (Chinese style pronunciation) for 神 is ‘jin”, Kun-Yomi (Japanese style pronunciation) is “kami). There are over 81,000 shrines throughout Japan.
Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima, remodeled by Taira no Kiyomori in the Heian period, is famous for its floating Torii gate.
Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto is famous for its thousands of torii gates.
TOrii Gate-鳥居・とりい
TOrii Gate-鳥居・とりい
Torii (とりい）is the gate at the entrance of the Shinto shrine. It represents the division between the everyday world and the sacred world. It’s polite to bow before entering and avoid walking in the middle. Torii can be red or white, and both are believed to protect against evil.
Some torii gates are in the water. The most famous one is at Itsukushima Shrine (いつくしまじんじゃ) in Hiroshima. It is the tallest wooden torii in Japan.
Some shrine has many torii gates. The most famous one is at Fushimi Inari Shrine (ふしみいなりたいしゃ）in Kyoto. “Ki’ is the counter for torii so that you can count 1 ki, 2 ki, 3ki….
Torii at Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kyoto
Torii with pengtagram at Seimei Shrine, Kyoto
Wooden Torii at Meiji Jingu, Tokyo
Torii at Kumano Hongu Taisha, Wakayama, the tallest concrete torii in Japan
Inari jinja-稲荷神社・いなりじんじゃ
Inari jinja-稲荷神社・いなりじんじゃ
Inari jinja （いなりじんじゃ）is a type of Japanese shrine associated with household wellbeing and business prosperity. The entrances are marked by red torii gates and two inari Okami (いなりおおかみ), or Japanese deities of foxes (きつね). They are often seen holding a ball or a key. The ball symbolizes integrity, and the key is access to rice storage, indicating prosperity.
Inari Okami holding a key at Fushimi Inari Taisha
Inari Okami holding a ball at Fushimi Inari Taisha
Shinodanomori Kuzunoha Inari Shrine, Osaka
Kuzunoha Inari is famous for the legend of the white fox, Abe no Seimei's mother.
Komainu-こま犬・こまいぬ
Komainu-こま犬・こまいぬ
Komainu (こまいぬ）is the lion-dogs stone animals that face each other at the entrance of a shrine. They are the guardian of the shrine. One dog has its mouth open and is called “a(あ),” while the other has its mouth closed and is called “un(うん).” Komainu culture came from India through China during the Asuka period.
Komainu at Todai-ji Temple, Nara, created by Chinese craftmen in Kamakura period
Komainu at Todai-ji Temple is the oldest stone-made komainu
Photo credit: 愛しき者たちBlog
A pair of komainu, the "a" on the right, the "um" on the left
Photo: CC
Introduction Japanese Culture : Ema (Wooden Wish Plaques) by The World of Japan
Ema-絵馬・えま
Ema-絵馬・えま
Ema (絵馬・えま）is a wooden plaque on which people write their wishes or word of gratitude to the gods and leave at the Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple. In ancient times, people would donate horses to the shrine for good favor; over time, the custom transferred to a wooden plaque with a picture of a horse. Now there are many variations with animals or symbols of the shrine and temple.
Ema at Seimei Jinja, Kyoto
Ema at Fushimi Inari Jinja, Kyoto
Ema at Gotoku-ji Temple, Tokyo
Ema at Itsukushima Jinja, Hiroshima
Buddhist Temple-寺・てら
Buddhist Temple-寺・てら
“Tera” (寺・てら＝temples) are places where Buddhist images are housed, and priests and nuns reside and hold Buddhist services. 寺 means temple. On-Yomi for 寺 is “ji” and Kun-Yomi is “tera”. So Todai-ji means Todai temple. There are 75,000 temples throughout Japan.
The Great South Gate, or Nandaimon at Todai-Ji temple in Nara, was built in the Nara period. A typhoon destroyed the original gate during the Heian period, and the present gate was built in the Kamakura period.
Photo credit: todaiji.org
Sanmon-三門・山門・さんもん
Sanmon-三門・山門・さんもん
Sanmom (三門・さんもん）is the most important gate of a Japanese Zen Buddist temple. It can be written 三門 or 山門.
" San" is from three (san・さん）because it often has three entrance gates. 門(mon・もん) means gate. The side bays of Sanmon house statues of the Nio-zo (におうぞう), who are the guardian of the Buddha.
One major Sanmon constructed in the Nara period is the Nandaimon at Todaiji.
"Ni-O (two kings) of Todai-Ji temple are the guardians in the Great South Gate. They are Japan's National Treasure from the 13th century.
Photo credit: todaiji.org
Great South gate of Horyu-Ji temple, Nara
法隆寺南大門
Photo credit: CC
Sanmon at Morin-Ji Temple in Gunma. Morin-Ji is famous for ”Bunbuku Tea Kettle” story.
茂林寺の三門
Photo credit: morinji.com
Goju no to at Horyu-Ji Temple
法隆寺の五重塔
Photo credit: horyuji.or.jp
Goju No To-五重塔・ごじゅうのう
Goju No To-五重塔・ごじゅうのう
Goju no to (ごじゅうのとう）is the five-storied pagoda that is the symbol of the Buddhist temple.
五 (go・ご) is five, 塔 (Tou・とう) means tower.
Goju no Tou at Horyu-Ji temple(ほうりゅうじ) in Nara is the oldest wooden structure in the world and Japan’s first World Heritage site. It was erected in the 7th century during the Asuka period.
National Treasure Goju no to height ranking by Rana Aruki ch
Goju no To at Itsukushima Jinja
厳島神社の五重塔
*It used to belong to Kongo-In temple
Photo credit: tabi-mag.jp
Sanju no To at Gotoku-Ji, Tokyo
豪徳寺の三重塔
Gotoku-Ji is famous for ”Maneki Neko cat".
Goju no To at Arakura Sengen Shrine, Yamanashi
朝倉浅間神社の五重塔
Photo credit: japan-guide.com
Gotokuji Temple / Maneki Neko - Tokyo - 豪徳寺 - by TokyoStreetView-Japan The Beautiful
maneki Neko-招き猫・まねきねこ
maneki Neko-招き猫・まねきねこ
Maneki Neko（まねきねこ）, also known as the lucky cat, is a Japanese lucky charm. “Maneki” means welcoming, and “Neko” means cat. There are debates about the origin of Maneki Neko, but one of the legends says Gotoku-Ji Temple in Tokyo is the birthplace of Maneki Neko. If the right paw of Maneki Neko is raised, it invites good fortune and money, and if the left paw is raised, it attracts customers.
Maneki Neko at Gotoku-Ji Temple, Tokyo
豪徳寺の招福猫
Photo credit: gotokuji.jp
Maneki Neko Museum in Aichi
まねきねこミュージアム
Photo credit: aichi-now.jp
Maneki Neko by Japan Video Topics (in Japanese)
招き猫（まねきねこ）
Daruma, the amulet of porposes in Japan by Draw the Life TikTak
Daruma-達磨・だるま
Daruma-達磨・だるま
Daruma (だるま）is a round Japanese traditional wish doll modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism. Daruma dolls are used as a good luck charm and as reminders to stay motivated in pursuit of goals. A user will select a wish or dream and paint it in the left eye, and once the goal is achieved, the right eye is filled in. Daruma is a symbol of perseverance. The famous saying “Fall 7 times, Get up 8. （七ころび八おき）is attributed to Daruma. Shorinzan Daruma-Ji Temple in Gunma prefecture is believed to be the birthplace of the Daruma doll.
Portrait of Bodhidharma, the model of daruma doll
Photo credit: CC
Somon gate at Shorinzan Daruma-Ji Temple
Photo credit：CC
Daruma dolls at Shrinzan Daruma-Ji
少林山だるま寺
Photo credit: CC
Daruma Fair
だるま市
by Kids Web Japan
Photo credit: Jindai-Ji Temple Daruma Doll Market by japanistry.com
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