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{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see ] -->
{{Hinduism_small}}
{{More citations needed|section: Diffusion of Hinduism in Japan|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox religious group
|group=Japanese Hindus<br>日本のヒンズー教徒|image=Ganesha Japan.jpg
|image_caption=Statues of ] (Saraswati), ] (Ganesh), and ] (Kubera) in the historic ] temple
|population={{increase}} '''166,550 (0.1%) (2022)'''
|languages=''']''': ], ]
|flag=Om in Katakana(Japanese).png
|flag_caption=The "Om" symbol in ]{{efn|オーム (U+30AA & U+30FC & U+30E0)}}
}}
{{Hinduism by country}}
] is a minority ] mainly followed by the ], ] and ] ] 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 ] is largely related to Hinduism, and most of its cultural practices are similar to those found in Hinduism.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Buddhism and Hinduism |url=https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/document/obo-9780195393521/obo-9780195393521-0273.xml |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=obo |language=en}}</ref>


== History ==
'''Hinduism''', unlike the closely related Buddhism, is a minority religion in Japan. Even so, Hinduism has played a somewhat significant role in Japanese culture.
{{Expand section|date=March 2024}}
] deity ] playing the flute in a temple constructed in 752{{nbsp}}CE on the order of Emperor Shomu, ], Great Buddha Hall in ], ]]]
Hinduism diffused throughout East Asia via trade routes, and also through the expansion of Buddhism in the sixth century. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Acharya |first=Amitav |title=Journey to the East: The Hindu-Buddhist Making of Southeast Asia |url=https://thediplomat.com/2021/02/journey-to-the-east-the-hindu-buddhist-making-of-southeast-asia/ |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=thediplomat.com |language=en-US}}</ref> There has also been significant transfer of Hindu-derived material native to China and South East Asia into Japan over the past two millennia.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pant |first=Don McLain Gill & Harsh V. |date=2023-11-21 |title=India and Japan Converge in Southeast Asia |url=https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/india-and-japan-converge-in-southeast-asia/article67557706.ece |access-date=2024-03-17 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Southeast Asia: History and Culture – Japan society for Southeast Asian Studies |url=https://www.jsseas.org/en/southeast-asia-history-and-culture/ |access-date=2024-03-17 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Southeast Asia and Japan: Linked by Ties of Cultural Exchange |url=https://www.japan.go.jp/kizuna/2023/11/ties_of_cultural_exchange.html |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=The Government of Japan - JapanGov - |language=en}}</ref>


==Japanese Hinduism== == Diffusion of Hinduism in Japan ==
{{Expand section|date=March 2024}}
Hindu deities have been integrated into Japanese religious culture and several deities are worshiped for good luck.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Japan's Hindu Linkages Still Alive |url=https://hwpi.harvard.edu/pluralismarchive/news/japans-hindu-linkages-still-alive-1 |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=hwpi.harvard.edu |language=en}}</ref> In fact there are many deities that are still worshiped in Japan which have long been forgotten in India.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-09-16 |title=Hindu deities in Japan |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/arts-and-culture/heritage/hindu-deities-in-japan/article23593238.ece |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=Frontline |language=en}}</ref>


Saraswati (]) is arguably the most revered deity in Japan after the Buddha.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-05-11 |title='Saraswati is the most revered deity in Japan, after the Buddha': Filmmaker Benoy Behl |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/research/saraswati-is-the-most-revered-deity-in-japan-after-the-buddha-filmmaker-benoy-behl/ |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> She forms as a part of the "Seven Gods of Fortune", of which four originated as Hindu deities: ] (]), Bishamon (Vaiśravaṇa or ]), ] (] or ]), and ] (]). The last, along with ] (]) and ] completes the ] ] of Great Goddesses.<ref name="Butsuzōzui2">{{cite web |date=1796 |title=Butsuzōzui (Illustrated Compendium of Buddhist Images) |url=http://www.lib.ehime-u.ac.jp/SUZUKA/316/index.html |page=(059.jpg) |language=Japanese |format=digital photos |location=Ehime University Library |access-date=2016-04-28 |archive-date=2018-10-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010061804/http://www.lib.ehime-u.ac.jp/SUZUKA/316/index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Though Hinduism is still a minority religion in Japan, there are a relatively small number of Hindus found throughout Japan. Currently there are 4,000 registered Hindus in Japan, with about one third located in the ] area and living in ] where they remain the third largest foreign community aside from the ] and ]. Historically, the arrival of Hindus and other Indians began at about the 1870's, when Indians arrived to ] (specifically to ], center of the ] trade) where they began a highly profitable buisness exporting ] and silk yarn to India and importing cotton yarn to be manufactured in Japan, which eventually made textiles one of Japan's largest and cheapest imports and exports around the world. However this rising Indian immigration ceased at about the 1980's when competing cheap labor from third-world countries caused the textile industry to decline in Japan. Even so Indians found work in other fields, such as in the rising synthetic textiles industry (which remains profitable especially in ] where such textiles are needed for the traditional Islamic ] dress.
]]]
The Hindu god of death, ], is known in his Buddhist form as ]. ], the mount (]) of ], is known as the ] (迦楼羅), an enormous, fire-breathing creature in Japan. It has the body of a human and the face or beak of an ]. ] originated from the ].{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}


] (or ]) is prayed to for health, success and good fortune. Many ] (or ''Tenbu'') have their roots in Hinduism and are still revered by many Japanese particularly in ].{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}
However on the other hand, Japanese Hinduism does continually suffer from ethnic stereotypes. Little understanding of foreign cultures have led many of the Japanese into identifying Hindus and India as a whole primarily as a ]-based nation of cow-worshiping snake charmers and peasants. Though ] and the rise of India as an industrial world power have eased such stereotypes, Hindu stereotypes still remains a major obstacle for the spread of Hinduism in Japan.


Other examples of Hindu influence on Japan include the belief of "six schools" or "six doctrines" as well as use of ] and ].{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}
==Cultural Impacts==


People have written books on the worship of Hindu gods in Japan.<ref>Chaudhuri, Saroj Kumar. Hindu Gods and Goddesses in Japan. (New Delhi, 2003) {{ISBN|81-7936-009-1}}.</ref> Even today, it is claimed Japan encourages a deeper study of Hindu Gods.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mohapatra |first=Satyen |date=2023-09-03 |title=Japan Wants to Encourage Studies of Hindu Gods |url=https://pluralism.org/news/japan-wants-encourage-studies-hindu-gods |website=The Pluralism Project, Harvard University}}</ref>
Even though Hinduism may not be as popular in Japan as other religions, Hinduism still has a significant role in Japanese culture. This is mostly due to the fact that many Buhddist and Hindu related beliefs and traditions spread to Japan through China and Korea in the ]. One primary indication of this is the Japanese "]", of which three originated as Hindu deities, including ] (]), ] (]), and ] (]). Benzaiten arrived in Japan during the 6th through 8th centuries, mainly via the ] translations of the '']''(&#37329;&#20809;&#26126;&#32147;;0 , which has a section devoted to her. She is also mentioned in the ]. In Japan, the ] are known as the ]. It should also be noted that in Japan that the Hindu ] is displayed more than ] in a famous temple in ], ]. Other examples of Hindu influence on Japan include the belief of "six schools" or "six doctrines" as well as use of ], ], and the ] (which was said to be based on a fighting style used by anchient Hindu warriors).


== List of Hindu gods in Japanese culture ==
==External Links==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto;"
*http://www.nanzan-u.ac.jp/SHUBUNKEN/publications/miscPublications/I-R/pdf/45-Veliath.pdf
|+Deities<ref name="Hindu">{{cite web|url=http://www.hindueducation.org/multimedia/HinduInfluenceOnJapan.pdf|title=Hindu Contributions to Japanese Religion|author=|date=|work=Hindu Education|publisher=|language=en|accessdate=May 14, 2020|archive-date=2006-10-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061021082309/http://www.hindueducation.org/multimedia/HinduInfluenceOnJapan.pdf|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref>
*http://www.friesian.com/six.htm
!English
*http://www.japanfile.com/culture_and_society/cross-culture/Indians-1.shtml
!Japanese
!Thai-Brahmi
!Devanagari-Sanskrit
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|火天}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|अग्नि}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|歓喜天}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|गणेश}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|迦楼羅}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|गरुड़}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|吉祥天}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|लक्ष्मी}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|広目天}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|विरूपाक्ष}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|地天}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|पृथ्वी}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|水天}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|वरुण}}
|-
|Viruthak
|{{lang|ja|増長天}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|विरूढक}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|荼枳尼天}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|डाकिणी}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|大黑天}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|महाकाल}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|天人}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|अप्सरा}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|帝釈天}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|शक्र}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|日天}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|सूर्य}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|梵天}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|ब्रह्मा}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|毘沙門天}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|वैश्रवण}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|弁才天}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|सरस्वती}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|風天}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|वायु}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|羅睺}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|राहु}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|羅刹天}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|राक्षस}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|伊舎那天}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|ईशान}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|韋駄天}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|स्कन्द}}
|-
|]
|{{lang|ja|閻魔天}}
|]
|{{lang|sa|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 ], 40,752 ] and 125,798 ] in Japan.<ref name="toukei_ichiran_touroku"></ref><ref>{{cite news |title=データセット一覧 |url=https://www.e-stat.go.jp/stat-search/files?page=1&layout=datalist&toukei=00250012&tstat=000001018034&cycle=1&year=20220&month=12040606&tclass1=000001060399&tclass2val=0 |access-date=6 March 2023 |work=e-stat |language=ja}}</ref>

The few Hindu temples in Japan are as follows:
* ] Temple, Tokyo
* ] New Gaya, Tokyo
* ISKCON Osaka Center, Osaka
* ] of Japan, Kanagawa
* ] Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Tokyo
* Shiva Shakti Mandir, Tokyo

The Association of Religion Data Archives estimated that 24,182 Hindus in Japan as of 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thearda.com/world-religion/np-sort?var=ADH_471|title=Japan, Religion And Social Profile|access-date=2023-06-04|website=thearda.com}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist-la}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Japan|Hinduism}}
*
{{Asia in topic|Hinduism in}}
]
] ]
]

Latest revision as of 16:06, 17 August 2024

This section: Diffusion of Hinduism in Japan needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section: Diffusion of Hinduism in Japan. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Hinduism in Japan" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Japanese Hindus
日本のヒンズー教徒
The "Om" symbol in Katakana
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.

History

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (March 2024)
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. There has also been significant transfer of Hindu-derived material native to China and South East Asia into Japan over the past two millennia.

Diffusion of Hinduism in Japan

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (March 2024)

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

Saraswati (Benzaiten) is arguably the most revered deity in Japan after the Buddha. 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.

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.

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.

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

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

List of Hindu gods in Japanese culture

Deities
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.

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.

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)

External links

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