Japanese Religion.

Japan is a first world country leading with its technology. It is rapidly advancing due to its innovations. The lifestyle of the Japanese is deeply affected by its modernization. But even though the Japanese has greatly adapted to these kind of life, they still have in their systems a trace of their own culture and tradition. The Japanese practice these customs and display their culture and tradition in several ways. They hold festivals, perform tea ceremonies and protective rites at temples, wear kimonos, prepares refined traditional Japanese cuisines such as sushi and sashimi, and further present their culture in the ways of the Samurai, in Geishas and in the gardens they are known of. But the Japanese truly and significantly exhibit their varied traditions through their religion, as it influences most of the other aspects of their culture. Many Japanese show faithfulness to several religions. It is sometimes expected that a person have a Shinto wedding and a Buddhist funeral. Also, he goes to Christmas parties during December. And at New Year, people visit Shinto temples to pray and worship, then attend Buddhist festivals (Itsaka,1996). The Japan's geographical location has affected the Japanese in their religion. They are mostly influenced by Korea and China bringing imported religions such as Buddhism and Confucianism. Japan's native religion, Shintoism, firstly became structured in response to the scholarly status and political authority of Buddhism and Confucianism. The country having four large islands had also affected Japanese religion, each island containing important and historic Shinto and Buddhist shrines and temples. Some of these temples are found atop mountains, Mount Fuji being the religious symbol of the nation. The mountains of China has been once a place for retreat for Buddhists' isolation to the world and this practice was carried over to Japan (Pye,1982).