Japanese Religious Ethic

Research Paper # 103008

Asian Studies
Religion and Theology
Sociology

An analysis of the religious character of the Japanese in everyday society.

2,487 words () | 9 sources | MLA | 2008 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper examines Japanese religious characteristics within the context of the rapidly evolving Asia-Pacific Rim in terms of culture and society. It discusses how Japanese society can be thought of as very religious to the degree that its religions are intertwined with its cultural roots, making them influential even if not consciously practiced. The paper also discusses how, politically, Japan has a tendency to restate history in terms that bring various elements of its society and culture into line with the official conception of homogeneity that is essentially a worldview based on Shinto heritage.

From the Paper:

"Japanese cultural resistance to outside influence is all the more surprising given that it itself, though most Japanese would never acknowledge this, was formed through the amalgamation of various cultures and societies in the region. Japan is an archipelago or island nation which is a geography that is conducive to developing a variety of localized cultures and languages: "It cannot be denied, however, that, from past to present, Japan has come into being as a multicultural society through the complex interaction of various cultures...". The researcher intent on illuminating the religious character of the Japanese will understand this rational dichotomy between self-conception and actuality and use it to commercial or interpersonal advantage. "

Sample of Sources Used:

Edgington, D. W. "Re-Inventing Japan: Time, Space, Nation." Pacific Affairs, 72/1(1999), 101+.
Gordon, Andrew. A Modern History of Japan: From Tokugawa Times to the Present. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.
Ryang, Sonya. Japan and National Anthropology. Routledge, New York; 2004.
Saint-Jacques, B. "The New Japan: Debunking Seven Cultural Stereotypes." Pacific Affairs, 76/3(2003), 465+.
Sugihara, Y., & Katsurada, E. "Gender Role Development In Japanese Culture: Diminishing Gender Role Differences In A Contemporary Society." (2002): 443+.