 Religion in Japan presents a picture of diverse religious beliefs and practices coexisting simultaneously.
Shinto could be regarded as the native religion of Japan while other religious belief systems like Buddhism and Confucianism developed due to foreign contact but today all play an important role in Japanese socio-cultural life. Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism are several other religions prevalent in Japan.
Shintoism emerged early as a religion and throughout Japan's history it has played a major influential role on Japan's society, polity, and economy. A major characteristic of Shintoism as a religion is the absence of any fixed dogma, and sacred scriptures associated with it. Shintoism involves worshipping deities known as Kami-sama in shrines.
Buddhism, which originated in India, was introduced in Japan in 6th century A.D from South Korea. The most popular sect of Buddhism, which established itself in Japan, was the Mahayana Buddhism.
Confucianism has made its presence felt in Japan more in the form of a code of ethics than an established religious system. The moral precepts of Confucianism have deeply influenced Japanese society.
Though Christianity in Japan was introduced in the 16th century but it was in the 19th century it established its roots firmly. In Japan today, most Christians are Protestants.
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