Universal Tourism

As with most other countries in the world, Japan has a lengthy relationship with religion.  Scattered across and hidden within its boundaries are a wealth of shrines, temples, churches, Happy Science buildings and numerous other places of worship.  Some are unknown and forgotten, others are held as a cornerstone of culture and popularity.

These fundamental locations often become tourist traps, both for foreigners and the Japanese alike.

Ise Shrine is the home of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess.  It's possibly the most famous (and least photographed) shrine in Japan.  It's rebuilt every 20 years and brings quite the crowd to the otherwise quiet prefecture that houses it.

When I visited Ise's outer shrine, Geku, there wasn't a foreigner to be found (as it's the inner shrine that holds the claim to fame) but the Japanese filled the role of tourist well enough on their own, posing for pictures as close as they could get to the shrine itself.  Younger visitors popped their peace signs while older visitors posed stoically.  Most of the visitors were older and all of them made an offering and prayed at at least one shrine.

In contrast, Todaiji Temple was a bustling metropolis.  The streets and paths were filled with cars, people and deer, packed almost as tightly as if on the last train out of Tokyo.  Taking a photograph devoid of people or deer was nearly impossible.

The deer wanted fed and most people were happy to sink 150 yen into a packet of special deer wafers to make this happen.  The people wanted to see the daibutsu and were happy to sink 500 yen into the ticket to allow them inside the daibutsuden.  There were stations to burn a stick of incense, wishing wells and a crowd of people at each of them, more following suit than actually having knowledge of the rituals.  It didn't seem that any were there to worship, though I imagine a few of them were present, lost in the sea of faces.

Religion in Japan is a tricky thing.  Asking about it is difficult, as no one really seems to want to talk about theirs (unless it's those Happy Science guys at the station).  I must say, though, it's a huge relief after Christian Americans telling me that I'm going to burn in hell just because I happen to be wearing knee-high, buckle-up black platform boots and a dark purple trenchcoat.