- Religion. Materiality. Popular Culture.
Japan |
Japanese Religions
Religious sites in Japan are featured heavily in tourism pamphlets and posters. Images of a long, never-changing tradition, now commonly known as "Shinto" can be found all over the media. And yet, a recent national survey reveals that a high portion of the population do not believe any religion (62%, NHK). "Religion," a modern term highly influenced by Protestant views on belief is a complicated matter to understand. Understanding the history of the religious landscape in Japan is a far more complicated endeavor that cannot simply be brushed away with words like "tradition." Understanding religion on the ground is even messier. My choice to approach this behemoth topic through ethnographic methods comes from the desire to understand "religion" through the people on the ground, currently living in Japan.
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Materiality
The anglophone word, "religion," is often associated with ideas of beliefs or faiths. These terms have been criticized by scholars of religion due to a strong influence from Christianity. An influence that might not be present in other religions. A focus on beliefs and faiths have favored texts over practices or objects in the study of religion. Japanese religions, however, put much more emphasis on practices and objects than beliefs or faiths. Shrines and temples are filled with amulets, charms and other forms of votive offerings that visitors can purchase for themselves or as gifts. In many occassions, the interaction with these objects is what constitutes the practice of visiting a sacred space. When it comes to studying ideas on the sacred on Japan, materiality is an unseparable element.
Popular Culture
Japanese popular culture including manga, anime, games or music remains one of the main avenues where people from outside of Japan come into contact with images of Japan. Narrative contents like anime or manga often employ religious themes that, regardless of the motivations behind the producers, might be consumed as accurate depictions of Japanese religions. These images might inspire people to learn more about Japan, study the Japanese language, travel to Japan, or even go on pilgrimages. Anime pilgrims are not limited to fans in Japan, rather, many come from overseas and equally participate in the construction of a sacred space, largely inspired by popular culture. Examining anime pilgrimage allows me to better understand how popular culture is inspiring religious activities on the ground and how those activities transpire through material objects.