During your stay in Japan, especially in Takayama, you will have many chances to walk along paths that pass near both Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. It can sometimes be confusing, as they are often built close to one another. From my perspective as a Japanese person, I would like to offer a brief explanation of each to help you understand their differences and the harmony they share.
There are certain manners and customs when visiting shrines and temples in Japan. However, as a guest, you don’t need to worry too much about following them perfectly. As long as you behave respectfully within the grounds, the exact rituals are not so important. Of course, if I visit with you, I will be happy to show you the way we usually do it.
Shinto is the indigenous spiritual tradition of Japan. It is not a “religion” in the Western sense, but rather a way of life and sensibility that celebrates the sacred presence found in nature, ancestors, and daily existence. The invisible spirits known as kami are believed to inhabit all things—mountains, rivers, trees, tools, and even moments of emotion.
There is no founder, no central scripture, and no rigid dogma in Shinto. Its teachings are transmitted through customs, festivals, and rituals that express gratitude, purification, and respect. Central to Shinto is the idea of musubi (the creative interconnectedness of all beings) and wa (harmony). Living well in Shinto means maintaining a right relationship with the natural and social world—honoring life as it is, without the need to transcend it.
Buddhism
Buddhism, by contrast, originated in India around the 5th century BCE through the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha. It spread across Asia and reached Japan in the 6th century, bringing a philosophical and introspective approach to understanding the human condition.
Where Shinto focuses on harmony with the visible world, Buddhism turns attention inward, exploring the impermanence of all things (mujō) and the nature of suffering (dukkha). Through mindfulness, compassion, and practice, Buddhism teaches that one can free oneself from attachment and achieve nirvana—a state of awakening beyond the cycles of life and death.
Coexistence in Japanese Life
Rather than replacing Shinto, Buddhism blended naturally with it. Over time, the two systems developed a complementary relationship rather than a conflict. Shinto often addresses the celebration of life—birth, growth, marriage, and the blessings of nature—while Buddhism tends to guide people through matters of death, reflection, and the afterlife.
This harmony is visible in everyday Japan: people visit Shinto shrines for New Year’s blessings or local festivals, and turn to Buddhist temples for funerals and memorials. A single person may follow both traditions seamlessly, without contradiction. It reflects a deeply Japanese worldview—one that values balance over belief, and experience over ideology.
In Essence
Shinto embraces life as sacred, affirming the divine within nature and community. Buddhism seeks liberation from the cycle of suffering through wisdom and compassion.
Together, they form the spiritual backbone of Japanese culture, teaching both gratitude for this world and awareness of what lies beyond it.
Harmony in Everyday Life
In Japan, there is no strict separation between the two. People might visit a shrine to pray for good fortune and a temple to honor their ancestors—all without feeling any contradiction. Many towns even have a shrine and a temple standing side by side.
This coexistence reflects a uniquely Japanese worldview:
“Shinto celebrates life as sacred; Buddhism gives meaning to its impermanence.”
Together, shrines and temples shape the "ordinary" of Japanese spirituality—where gratitude and reflection, birth and death, coexist peacefully. Doesn't it sound like what we are about to learn more - "Sashiko"?