Japanese life is concerned with Buddhism!

1. Funeral culture

Japanese funeral services have been derived from Buddhism.
When someone dies, Japanese set up the special altar called ‘butsudan’ and pray for a dead person. And buddihst priests officiate at the funeral services.

It derives from the idea of Buddhism that dead persons will reborn to other living things after age. They do this form of ceremony even though they are not Buddhist.

2. The tea ceremony

Japanese enjoy drinking teas all the times. Especially, they have the special tea ceremony which is called ‘chadou‘. It is not usual style of drinking teas but special style when they receive visitors or have a special meeting, for example.

Actually, this ceremony has been derived from Buddhism and it has Buddhist sprit. It is most important thing to observe the proprieties with the Buddhist spirit in this ceremony.

3. Jinja

If you come to Japan, you can see the many shrines wherever you go. Japanese often go to the shrine to pray. There are lots of shrines (they call this ‘Jinja’) worshiping the others not Buddha. But Japanese often go to the others and pray to it even if they believe Buddhism. Because in Japan, Jinja is a part of their life and it cannot be judged only by religion about their belief.

4. Divination

Almost all of the Japanese believe the fate. They think that their whole life has been determined from they had been born. And they think that people have lived another living things in former life, and they will reborn another living thing in future life which was concerned with their present life. So they enjoy going to divination store and having their fortune told.

It is concerned with Buddhism, too. Buddhism tells us to respect all living things and do your best in present life because of the future life.

5. Traditional art

Most Japanese famous traditional arts have been come from Buddhist arts. If you go to Nara, where famed tourist place, you can see a lot of objects of Buddhist arts and feel that Japan is the country where are deeply concerned with Buddhism. And these works of art having characteristics as simple, and pure style.