I believe in . . .

There’s a popular saying in Japan, “People are born Shinto, get married Christian and die Buddhist.” This can make sense because religion in Japan is not so much practiced or preached as it is lived.

Basically, Shintoism is the spirituality of this world and life, while Buddhism is more about the soul and the afterlife. That’s why the two religions can work together. To celebrate a birth or marriage, or to pray for a good harvest, the Japanese turn to Shintoism. Funerals, on the other hand, are usually Buddhist ceremonies.

So where does Christianity come in? Only a small percentage of Japanese are Christian, but when it comes to weddings, it’s an obsession. Modern couples want all the western traditions, including an expensive white dress, exchange of rings and even a giant cross hanging in the background during the ceremony. The key component? A minister who looks the part — in other words, a white person. The term for this is a “white wedding.” Many of these ministers aren’t even religious. Our guide had a friend who went into this business. He does six weddings a week and makes big money!

Like cathedrals in Europe, it seems every time you turn a corner in Japan, you run into a shrine or temple. Generally, shrines are Shinto and temples are Buddhist. Some religious compounds have both so it gets confusing. One can easily get “templed out” but each of these structures is unique and each play a big part in Japan’s history and present day life.

Itsukushima Shinto Shrine on the island of Miyajima is known for its “floating” torii gate.

Itsukushima Shinto Shrine on the island of Miyajima

Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari Shinto Shrine is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates. The trail of gates leads up hill into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari. Inari is the Shinto god of rice.

Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari Shinto Shrine. The gates have the names of donors and come in different sizes. Large gates cost one million yen ($100,00!)

Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari Shinto Shrine. The writing on the gates are the names of donors. Gates come in different sizes.

Nara’s Kasuga-Taisha Shinto Shrine is famous for its hundreds of stone and bronze lanterns, which have been donated by worshipers. They are only lit twice a year during two lantern festivals.

Nara’s Kasuga-Taisha Shinto Shrine is famous for its hundreds of stone and bronze lanterns, which have been donated by worshipers. They are only lit twice a year during two lantern festivals.

Considered in Shinto to be messengers of the gods, Nara’s nearly 1,200 deer have become a symbol of the city and have even been designated as a natural treasure.

Before praying, worshipers wash their hands.

O-mikuji or fortunes are offered for purchase at many temples and shrines. If you get a bad fortune or one that you don’t like, you can tie it to a wire and leave it there so it is “removed” from you.

Ema are small wooden plaques on which Shinto and Buddhist worshippers write prayers or wishes. The ema are left hanging up at the shrine, where the kami (spirits or gods) are believed to receive them.

Senso-ji is Tokyo’s oldest and most famous Buddhist temple.

Worshippers fan smoke at themselves for success and long life.

Kyoto’s Kiyomizu Buddhist Temple is one of the city’s most popular and somewhat commercialized temples. The grounds even have a shrine dedicated to finding true love.

Kyoto’s Kiyomizu Temple

In Japan, some women find comfort in Jizo statues which line temples and cemeteries across the country. The statues are believed to be protectors of children and unborn babies in traditional teachings.

Kyoto’s Kinkaku-ji Temple, or Gold Pavillion, is a Zen temple. The top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf.

Kyoto’s Ginkakuji, or Silver Pavilion, is a Zen temple. In 1482, shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa built his retirement villa, modeling it after Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), his grandfather’s retirement villa. The villa was converted into a Zen temple after Yoshimasa’s death in 1490. Despite its name, the Silver Pavilion was never covered in silver.

Nara’s Yakushiji Buddhist Temple was constructed by Emperor Tenmu in the late 7th century for the recovery of his sick wife.

Nara’s Yakushiji Buddhist Temple

Nara’s Todai-ji Temple was constructed in 752 as the head Buddhist temple of Japan. The main hall is the world’s largest wooden building (despite the fact that it was rebuilt at two thirds the size of the original temple). The massive building houses one of Japan’s largest bronze statues of Buddha (15 meters tall).

Tōdai-ji is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples.

Tōdai-ji’s Great Buddha Hall houses the world’s largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese as Daibutsu.

Pindola (or Binzuru) was a disciple of the Buddha. It is commonly believed that when a person rubs a part of the statue and then rubs the corresponding part of his own body, his ailment there will disappear.

In addition to a smaller official Shinto ceremony at a temple, many modern Japanese couples also have a big “white” wedding.

The western Christian-like ceremony takes place in a large hall, complete with an aisle, cross and white “minister.”

Brides often wear several dresses, in addition to their white dress, at the reception.