In a Society Where Nonreligious Mind Is Mainstream but Majority Pray for Good Luck: Japanese Case

In the world where religion could be the genesis of dispute, Japanese society shows somewhat different contradictory picture. According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, the number of religious groups is 179 thousand, and the total number of followers is 163.0 million which is 1.3 times of Japanese population in 2022. On the other hand, according to major national surveys, more than 70% of Japanese do not have any personal religious faith (Japanese National Character Survey). Looking more closely, less than 10% believe in religion and about 20% do not believe in personally but have a family religion (Japanese General Social Survey). The figure is far less compared with other East Asian societies, such as Taiwan (77% have a religion) or Korea (53%; East Asian Social Survey). Trust in religious groups is very low in Japan.

How does this happen? The key for understanding the situation is fading of people’s religious belief and rootedness of observing religious practices which became seasonal events in the Japanese society. The Bon Festival in summer was originally a Buddhist event and the Harvest Festival was a Shinto event. People visit a shrine on the New Year’s Day and visit a graveyard at temple on equinox. In rural houses, a home shrine and a Buddhist altar often coexist.

Regardless of their religious belief, Japanese often go to a place to pray for good luck. It is also common for Japanese to get a charm and keep it close to oneself for good luck (62% compared with 52% in Taiwan, 17% in Korea and 8% in China).

In response to urban migration and changes in social attitudes, some of the religious practices have been abandoned. The presentation will also discuss differences between religious and nonreligious people in political and social value orientation.