Buddhism in Japan
Buddhism in Japan (日本の仏教, Nihon no Bukkyō) was first established in the 6th century CE. Most of the Japanese Buddhists belong to new schools of Buddhism which were established in the Kamakura period (1185-1333). During the Edo (Tokugawa)-period (1603–1868), Buddhism was controlled by the feudal Shogunate. The Meiji-period (1868–1912) saw a strong response against Buddhism, with persecution and a forced separation between Buddhism and Shinto (Shinbutsu bunri).
Total population | |
---|---|
Estimates vary, from c. 71 million or 57% (Government est., 2022) to under 20% (JGSS Research Center, 2017). | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Throughout Japan | |
Religions | |
Buddhism (mostly East Asian Buddhism) | |
Languages | |
Japanese and other languages |
Part of a series on |
Buddhism in Japan |
---|
Part of a series on |
Buddhism |
---|
The largest sects of Japanese Buddhism are Pure Land Buddhism with 22 million believers, followed by Nichiren Buddhism with 10 million believers, Shingon Buddhism with 5.4 million, Zen Buddhism with 5.3 million, Tendai Buddhism with 2.8 million, and only about 700,000 for the six old schools established in the Nara period (710-794).