Paganism other than Shinto and Buddhism in Japan

[kireikoori]

This goes for everything. Including Hinduism and other non-Japanese Asian Pagan religion.
Though what I'm particularly interested in is if eclectic Paganism exists in Japan at all. I hear that Syncretism is pretty common in Japan.
So surely something like a Shinto Druid Odinist exists right?

 

[cohen avshalom]

kireikoori

kireikoori:
what could you tell as about thos religion?
do you believe at one of those religion??
cohen avshalom charly
israel /haifa

 

[Mars Man]

I would bet you'd find very, very little of what you seem to talking about, kireikoori san, but one that puzzles me, is your use of the word 'paganism!' Is there a reason for that word choice, or was simply what had come to mind without much forethought?

 

[magevampjoe]

Paganism can be used to refer to any religion where the followers are in touch with nature. There will probably be neo-paganism religions in Japan.

 

[nice gaijin]

There was a thread about asking about Wiccans in Japan not too long ago. Let's not rehash the same discussion: Wiccans in Japan

 

[kireikoori]

Wiccan is a specific Pagan religion. Worshiping Odin is not the same as proclaiming to be a witch. This is not the same discussion.

 

[nice gaijin]

well then, Religion in Japan - Wikipedia

Scroll down to "other religions" and "new religions." It seems that old-world, established religions are predominantly practiced by foreigners in Japan. I don't know the specifics of all of the new religions, but a lot is mentioned in this article, and after looking through all of the religions listed in the first article, it seems that all of these "new religions" are just rehashed versions of the other religions present in Japan, namely different forms of Buddhism and Shintoism, and sometimes Christianity. It seems doubtful that there's much if any presence of paganism in the western sense, so I'd wager a guess that the "Shinto Druid Odinists" are nowhere to be found

 

[kireikoori]

Hmmm...not that I entirely trust wikipedia for information, but Hinduism and Sikhism were listed. Both Pagan religions.

It's surely still possible that Druids or Odinists exist in Japan, but probably very very rare.

 

[nice gaijin]

It's surely still possible that Druids or Odinists exist in Japan, but probably very very rare.

I wouldn't hold my breath. Japanese people tend not to broadcast their religion, especially if they're very, er, spirited about it. Doubly so if it's one of those strange foreign religions (like christianity), as they still seem to be stigmatized even today.

Sure it's possible there are Japanese Shinto Druid Odinists or whatever other combination you can think of, but the probability is so remote I can more easily say that there probably are none

 

[Mars Man]

Hmmm...not that I entirely trust wikipedia for information, but Hinduism and Sikhism were listed. Both Pagan religions.

There has been some discussion on the Wiki Religion entries over at the Society of Biblical Literature forum (a members only site) and the general conclusion by the scholars is that entries still need to be checked and edited, however regarding the religious belief-systems and their histories, the information rates at slightly above 'generally trustworthy.'

This, however, probably doesn't bear on the very 'side line' systems.

Which religious belief-system would you consider not pagan, kireikoori san? If one follows the standard line of thinking, namely, pagan=heathen=non-Juda/Christ/Islamic belief-system. Is that how you are using it?

 

[ghost writer]

hmmm...

does this have anything to do with "Grudge 2" ? lol I'm joking of course.. I have a somewhat different idea on what paganism actually is. Perhaps it has different meanings in other countries. hmmm... I guess it would be pretty naive of me to think it only exist in the states. My question would be.. Does anyone actually no someone that pratices paganism..? I don't.. I do know of a few retail locations in LA but i'm too afraid to walk in...

 

[kireikoori]

.
Which religious belief-system would you consider not pagan, kireikoori san? If one follows the standard line of thinking, namely, pagan=heathen=non-Juda/Christ/Islamic belief-system. Is that how you are using it?

Yes, that's how I'm using it. By Pagan I mean all non-Abrahamic religion. As in not Judaism, not Christianity and not Islam.

 

[nice gaijin]

Yes, that's how I'm using it. By Pagan I mean all non-Abrahamic religion. As in not Judaism, not Christianity and not Islam.

In that case, practically all religion in Japan is "pagan." I guess my definition is different, because I find that far too vague. It's like asking if there are any anarchists in America, then defining anarchist as "anyone who isn't a democrat or republican."

 

[kireikoori]

In that case, practically all religion in Japan is "pagan."

That's why I made the topic title "other than Shinto and Buddhism".
Most of the other, new religions are Pagan as well, but I was more looking for foreign Pagan religions.

 

[nice gaijin]

other than those practiced by foreigners themselves that brought their religion with them, I'd say it's highly unlikely.

The probability of going to Japan and happening across a native that practices a foreign pagan religion is slim to none. But you can dream, I suppose.

 

[kireikoori]

So you think that followers of Hinduism in Japan are foreigners themselves?

 

[nice gaijin]

I didn't say that, I said that you would be hard pressed to run into a native by chance that openly practices a foreign pagan religion. Hinduism first came to Japan along with Buddhism and Shintoism in the 6th century and has played a significant but oft-overlooked role in Japanese culture (in which case, it's no more a foreign religion than Buddhism and Shintoism), but even today, almost all references to current practicioners refers to them as a foreign population.

 

[kireikoori]

Hmmm, interesting. Kind of sad that Hinduism is overlooked in Japan then. :/

Moving from the subject of Hinduism back to Druidry, perhaps one of the people involved in sites like this might profess to be Druid.