ABSTRACT
The traditional religion of Japan is Shintoism, but Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism also have a presence in Japan and amongst Japanese people. Shinto is the word used in the West for the Japanese term Kami-no-Michi, the way of the gods. It is a mixture of ancient beliefs, but its main centre appears to be an emphasis on perfection, cleanliness and harmony with nature. There are three elements to the universe – humanity, nature and the kami. Although the kami are usually translated into English as spirits or gods, they are actually rather different. They are linked with ancestors and inhabit the heavens, the underworld and various other places. Each summer, people leave the cities for their home towns for the Bon festival, which is a time for celebrating and consoling the spirits of the dead. This festival, which really only occurs still in small towns and villages, was introduced to Japan by the Buddhists.
