Hinduism in Japan

Japanese Hindus
日本のヒンズー教徒

The "Om" symbol in Katakana[a]
Statues of Benzaiten (Saraswati), Kangiten (Ganesh), and Bishamonten (Kubera) in the historic Daishō-in temple
Total population
166,550 (0.1%) (2022)
Languages
Liturgical: Sanskrit, Old Tamil

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.^[1]

History

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. ^[2] There has also been significant transfer of Hindu-derived material native to China and South East Asia into Japan over the past two millennia.^[3][4][5]

Diffusion of Hinduism in Japan

Hindu deities have been integrated into Japanese religious culture and several deities are worshiped for good luck.^[6] In fact there are many deities that are still worshiped in Japan which have long been forgotten in India.^[7]

Saraswati (Benzaiten) is arguably the most revered deity in Japan after the Buddha.^[8] 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.^[9]

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.^{[citation needed]}

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.^{[citation needed]}

Other examples of Hindu influence on Japan include the belief of "six schools" or "six doctrines" as well as use of yoga and pagodas.^{[citation needed]}

People have written books on the worship of Hindu gods in Japan.^[10] Even today, it is claimed Japan encourages a deeper study of Hindu Gods.^[11]

List of Hindu gods in Japanese culture

Deities^[12]

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.^[13][14]

The few Hindu temples in Japan are as follows:

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

The Association of Religion Data Archives estimated that 24,182 Hindus in Japan as of 2020.^[15]

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.
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

• Hare Krishna temple in Japan