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| '''Hinduism''', unlike the closely related Buddhism, is a minority religion in ]. Even so, Hinduism has played a somewhat significant role in Japanese culture. | '''Hinduism''', unlike the closely related Buddhism, is a minority religion in ]. Even so, Hinduism has played a somewhat significant role in Japanese culture. | ||
| == |
==History of Hinduism in Japan== | ||
| There |
There is a relatively small number of Hindus found throughout Japan, currently, there are 4,000 registered Hindus in the country, 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 in Japan began in the 1870's, when Indians arrived at ] (specifically ], center of the ] trade) where they began a highly profitable business exporting ] and silk yarn to India and importing cotton yarn to be manufactured in Japan, which eventually made textiles one of the largest and most cheapy produced exports.{{fact}}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. | ||
| However on the other hand, Japanese Hinduism does continually suffer from ethnic stereotypes. Scant understanding of foreign cultures have led many of the Japanese into identifying Hindus and India as a whole primarily as a feudal ]-based nation as is common in many industrialized nations. Though ] and the rise of India as an industrial world power have eased such stereotypes, Hindu stereotypes still remains a major obstacle for Hinduism in Japan. | |||
| ==Cultural impacts== | ==Cultural impacts== | ||
Revision as of 21:42, 13 December 2006
Hinduism, unlike the closely related Buddhism, is a minority religion in Japan. Even so, Hinduism has played a somewhat significant role in Japanese culture.
History of Hinduism in Japan
There is a relatively small number of Hindus found throughout Japan, currently, there are 4,000 registered Hindus in the country, with about one third located in the Kansai area and living in Kobe, where they remain the third largest foreign community, aside from the Chinese and Koreans. Historically, the arrival of Hindus and other Indians in Japan began in the 1870's, when Indians arrived at Yokohama (specifically Osaka, center of the textile trade) where they began a highly profitable business exporting textiles and silk yarn to India and importing cotton yarn to be manufactured in Japan, which eventually made textiles one of the largest and most cheapy produced exports.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.
Cultural impacts
Even though Hinduism may not be as popular in Japan as other religions, Hinduism still had a significant, but indirect role in Japanese culture. This is mostly due to the fact that many Buddhist and Hindu related beliefs and traditions spread to Japan through China and Korea in the 6th Century. One primary indication of this is the Japanese "Seven Gods of Fortune", of which three originated as Hindu deities, including Benzaitensama (Sarasvati), Bishamon (Vaiśravaṇa or Kubera), and Daikoku (Mahakali). Benzaiten arrived in Japan during the 6th through 8th centuries, mainly via the Chinese translations of the Sutra of Golden Light (金光明経), which has a section devoted to her. She is also mentioned in the Lotus Sutra. In Japan, the lokapālas take the Buddhist form of the Four Heavenly Kings (四天王). The Sutra of Golden Light became one of the most important sutras in Japan because of its fundamental message, which teaches that the Four Heavenly Kings protect the ruler who governs his country in the proper manner. The Hindu god of death, Yama, is known in his Buddhist form as Enma. Garuda, the mount(vahanam) 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 apsarases. It should also be noted that in Japan that the Hindu Ganesha is displayed more than Buddha in a famous temple in Futako Tamagawa, Tokyo. Other examples of Hindu influence on Japan include the belief of "six schools" or "six doctrines" as well as use of Yoga and pagodas.
External links
- A Tribute to Hinduism: India and China
- A Tribute to Hinduism: Suvarnabhumi, Greater India
- Hinduism in Japan
- The "Six Schools"
- Japan File: India
- Nippon Shakti
- Hindu Influence on Japan
