Japanese people and Religion

This time, I want to talk about a very interesting experience which showed a hidden side of Japanese culture that I would have never known if I just did a normal tour like everyone else. During the spring break, together with my friend and Mari san who is my friend’s host mother, I went on a trip to Nikko (日光). But this was not just a normal trip and I did not notice this was a religious trip until I actually got there. Through out the trip, I could observe the realistic side of Japanese that they believe in many gods and their teachings for their sake of needs.

The other people who went the trip together were members of a religious movement called ‘Happy Science’ where my friend’s mother also acts as a member. It was very interesting. I have never seen or heard of such religious movement before. Happy Science is a religious movement ‘based on the universal teachings from Master Ryuho Okawa, was established in Tokyo, Japan in 1986 (Happy Science Homepage)’. Mari san said that people in Happy Science learn how to be happy solve conflicts. It was also written in the homepage of Happy Science that their unique teaching cause positive influence and attract people from all backgrounds like Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu or others.

Master Ryuho Okawa, founder of Happy Science, reborn of El Cantare

Symbol of Happy Science

People believe in Happy Science follow the teaching of Ryuho Okawa, who is the recent reborn, existence of the supreme god called El Cantare. According to this religion, the reborn of El Cantare has continuously been existed in different time as different form, and for instance, one of the Greek God, Hermes and the founder of Buddhism, Gautama Siddhartha were also existence of El Cantare. Mari san said that Ryuho Okawa was born on the same day that God was said by fortuneteller to be reborn and the reason he was born in Japan is because Japan at that time was poor and suffering from the atomic bombs. And when I actually went into the temples, some temple had statue of El Cantare, and some other temples had Buddha or Hermes statue inside. In some entrance of temple, on one side of entrance there was statue of angels with white wings, but on the other side there was statue of bodhisattva.

Could see angels with white wings, bodhisattva again in other statue!

Temple which has the Budda inside. I was so shocked when I saw this by my eyes.

This is one of a school building that they completed building this year. It reminds me of Greek god temple and I could see the symbol of Happy Science on the top of the building.

By following Mari san, I could go into a wide hall decorated by various colors and listen to the priest's speech. But I had no idea what he was talking since it was all in Japanese :) During the trip, I got the feeling that this religious organization has a lot of funding. Because on the way back to Hirakata, we visited a place where this organization has branch offices, more temples, and has just completed building a middle school and a high school. When I got there I thought I was in Thailand or Cambodia or Greek. It was because all the buildings had so unique shape that I have never seen in my real life, which gave more curiosity about what kind of religion this is.

After the trip, what I felt that Japanese people are even realistic at religion and follow the rule of utilitarianism. Unlike Korean religious culture, where people believe in one god and one teaching, Japanese seems to believe in many religions and adapt acceptable parts moderately depending on situation. What I also felt was, while other people pray for the life to come, Japanese pray and believe in god for the happiness in present life. I could learn many things through this trip and also met many people. I am so glad that I could had such interesting experience.

Group picture all together!

1st picture www.happyscience-fl.org/

2nd picture www.happyscience-fl.org/

3rd picture from me

4th picture from me

5th picture from me

6th picture from me