Momo Nomura, a graphic artist and entrepreneur, visits a shrine near her business meetings or trips almost weekly.
‘What he took from us is irreplaceable’ Family of man killed in DUI crash in Clay County react to driver’s sentencingMomo Nomura, a graphic designer and a business owner, walks to collect Goshuin, a seal stamp certifying her visit that comes with elegant calligraphy and the seasons drawings, at Sakura Jingu shrine Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Tokyo. . She performs the prescribed rituals — cleansing her hands, ringing a bell, bowing and clapping.
Japan's unique relationship to faith is on full display during the final week of the year: People celebrate Christmas with an exchange of presents, ring Buddhist temple bells on New Year’s Eve, and hours later go to Shinto shrines to celebrate the New Year. During other seasons, Japanese flock to Buddhist Bon dances and Shinto-related festivals involving “mikoshi,” or portable shrines.
According to Cultural Affairs Agency statistics for 2022, the number of Japanese with links to Shinto, Buddhism, Christianity or other religions totaled 180 million, which exceeds Japan’s population of 126 million. This suggests that most people follow both Shinto and Buddhism. Christians account for about 1% of that total.
The popularity of Goshuin stamps and visits to spiritual spots like shrines and temples is not a show of faith, experts say, but instead suggests people feel an affinity for the traditions without a need to be deeply involved. Some compare the stamp collecting to a blessed version of baseball cards. A Komyoji monk, Yuken Kihara, serves his homemade desserts, tea and coffee every Wednesday at Open Terrace café on a temple balcony, available to anyone with reservations.
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