Hinduism in Japan: Difference between revisions

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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Agni
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|火天}}		{{lang\|ja\|火天}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Ganesh
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|歓喜天}}		{{lang\|ja\|歓喜天}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Garuda
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|迦楼羅}}		{{lang\|ja\|迦楼羅}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Lakshimi
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|吉祥天}}		{{lang\|ja\|吉祥天}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Virupak
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|広目天}}		{{lang\|ja\|広目天}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Dhritaratra
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|持国天}}		{{lang\|ja\|持国天}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Prithavi
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|地天}}		{{lang\|ja\|地天}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Varun
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|水天}}		{{lang\|ja\|水天}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Viruthak
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|増長天}}		{{lang\|ja\|増長天}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Dakini
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|荼枳尼天}}		{{lang\|ja\|荼枳尼天}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Mahakal
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|大黑天}}		{{lang\|ja\|大黑天}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Apsara
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|天人}}		{{lang\|ja\|天人}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Sakr
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|帝釈天}}		{{lang\|ja\|帝釈天}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Surya
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|日天}}		{{lang\|ja\|日天}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Brahma
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|梵天}}		{{lang\|ja\|梵天}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Vaishravana
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|毘沙門天}}		{{lang\|ja\|毘沙門天}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Sarswati
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|弁才天}}		{{lang\|ja\|弁才天}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Vayu
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|風天}}		{{lang\|ja\|風天}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Rahu
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|羅睺}}		{{lang\|ja\|羅睺}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Rakshassa
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|羅刹天}}		{{lang\|ja\|羅刹天}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Ishan
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|伊舎那天}}		{{lang\|ja\|伊舎那天}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
			\|Skanda
	\|
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|韋駄天}}		{{lang\|ja\|韋駄天}}
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	\|]		\|]
	\|-		\|-
	\|		\|Yam
	\|]		\|]
	{{lang\|ja\|閻魔天}}		{{lang\|ja\|閻魔天}}

Revision as of 14:49, 17 March 2024

Overview of the presence, role and impact of Hinduism in Japan

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Japanese Hindus
日本のヒンズー教徒
Total population
The "Om" symbol in Katakana
Statues of Benzaiten (Saraswati), Kangiten (Ganesh), and Bishamonten (Kubera) in the Daishō-in temple.
166,550 (0.1%) (2022)
Languages
Liturgical: Sanskrit, Old Tamil

Hinduism by country

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v t e

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.

History

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

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.

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
	Japanese	Sanskrit	Thai-Pali
	กัตเต็ง 月天	चन्द्र	พระจันทร์
Agni	คาเต็ง 火天	अग्नि	พระอัคนี
Ganesh	คังงิเต็ง 歓喜天	गणेश	พระพิฆเนศวร
Garuda	คารูระ 迦楼羅	गरुड़	ครุฑ
Lakshimi	คิชโชเต็ง 吉祥天	लक्ष्मी	พระลักษมี
Virupak	โคโมกุเต็ง 広目天	विरूपाक्ष	ท้าววิรูปักษ์
Dhritaratra	จิโกกุเต็ง 持国天	धृतराष्ट्र	ท้าวธตรฐ
Prithavi	จิเต็ง 地天	पृथ्वी	พระปฤถวี
Varun	ซุยเต็ง 水天	वरुण	พระพิรุณ
Viruthak	โซโจเต็ง 増長天	विरूढक	ท้าววิรุฬหก
Dakini	ดากินิเต็ง 荼枳尼天	डाकिणी	ฑากิณี
Mahakal	ไดโกกุเต็ง 大黑天	महाकाल	มหากาฬ
Apsara	เท็นนิง 天人	अप्सरा	อัปสร
Sakr	ไทชากุเต็ง 帝釈天	शक्र	ท้าวสักกะ
Surya	นิตเต็ง 日天	सूर्य	พระอาทิตย์
Brahma	บนเต็ง 梵天	ब्रह्मा	พระพรหม
Vaishravana	บิชามนเต็ง 毘沙門天	वैश्रवण	ท้าวเวสวัณ
Sarswati	เบ็นไซเต็ง 弁才天	सरस्वती	พระสุรัสวดี
Vayu	ฟูเต็ง 風天	वायु	พระพาย
Rahu	ราโง 羅睺	राहु	พระราหู
Rakshassa	ราเซ็ตสึเต็ง 羅刹天	राक्षस	รากษส
Ishan	อิซานะเต็ง 伊舎那天	ईशान	พระอีศาน
Skanda	อิดะเต็ง 韋駄天	स्कन्द	พระเวทโพธิสัตว์
Yam	เอ็มมะเต็ง 閻魔天	याम	พระยม

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:

Shirdi Saibaba Temple, Tokyo
ISKCON New Gaya, Tokyo
Vedanta Society of Japan, Kanagawa
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Tokyo
Shiva Shakti Temple, Tokyo

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

References

Acharya, Amitav. "Journey to the East: The Hindu-Buddhist Making of Southeast Asia". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
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.
"Southeast Asia: History and Culture – Japan society for Southeast Asian Studies". Retrieved 2024-03-17.
"Southeast Asia and Japan: Linked by Ties of Cultural Exchange". The Government of Japan - JapanGov -. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
"Japan's Hindu Linkages Still Alive". hwpi.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
"Hindu deities in Japan". Frontline. 2015-09-16. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
"'Saraswati is the most revered deity in Japan, after the Buddha': Filmmaker Benoy Behl". The Indian Express. 2019-05-11. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
"Butsuzōzui (Illustrated Compendium of Buddhist Images)" (digital photos) (in Japanese). Ehime University Library. 1796. p. (059.jpg).
Chaudhuri, Saroj Kumar. Hindu Gods and Goddesses in Japan. (New Delhi, 2003) ISBN 81-7936-009-1.
Mohapatra, Satyen (2023-09-03). "Japan Wants to Encourage Studies of Hindu Gods". The Pluralism Project, Harvard University.
"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)
^ Ministry of Justice Statistics
"データセット一覧". e-stat (in Japanese). Retrieved 6 March 2023.
"Japan, Religion And Social Profile". thearda.com. Retrieved 2023-06-04.

Notes

オーム (U+30AA & U+30FC & U+30E0)

External links

Hare Krishna temple in Japan

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