Religion

Nov 04 2008 3 Comments

Sizeable Japanese cemeteries

For many of the major events in a Japanese person’s life, it’s a relatively mixed bag, with an almost pick’n’mix approach preferred. So, while ‘christenings’ are primarily Shinto-based affairs, and weddings may well be western-style, funerals are habitually Buddhist.

But, when it comes to that utterly final farewell, cremation is the one true constant, with a whopping 99.82% of the nation’s deceased rapidly reduced to dust — the lack of a full figure presumably due to the odd non-Japanese who it is deemed ok to be dropped whole into one of the country’s rare and rapidly filling foreign resting places.

A system that I always presumed was primarily practical, as with such a limited amount of living space, huge cemeteries would very quickly become a hindrance, whereas cremation conveniently cuts down on the terrain taken over.

However, not for the first time,

I would appear to be woefully wide,

of the mark.

(click images for super-sized cemetery)

Jun 13 2008 3 Comments

Japanese dirt-free deity?

With a mixed bag of Shinto ‘christenings’, western-style weddings and Buddhist funerals, the Japanese approach to religion is refreshingly relaxed, offering a veritable pick ‘n’ mix of principles and procedures.

The concept of cleansing, however, would appear to have been completely turned on its head, with apparently a dust down for the actual deity, rather than the devotee, deemed de rigueur.

Apr 28 2008 5 Comments

Japanese stained glass stickers

Due to a distinct lack of interested people to pick from, along with the almost legendary land prices, churches in the Japanese capital have to make do with what meagreness they can manage. So, apart from the customary cross, facilities tend to be far from fancy.

Although that said, the place above is doing better than this pitiful apartment of prayer.

But, on the other hand, its stick-on stained glass windows are somewhat woeful,

and, it has to be said, a little worse for wear.

Apr 06 2008 90 Comments

Japanese penis pandemonium

With their portable shrines and pots of sake, Japanese festivalsÂ are generally fairly boisterous affairs, but for Kawasaki’s annual fertility festival (the Kanamara Matsuri) at Hachiman-gu Shrine, bawdy could be deemed a far more accurate description — the marvelling at massive members,

being the main source of amusement.

Also, for people a bit peckish, there’s the usual fare of noodles and nibbles on offer, although for those particularly partial, a pecker or even a pussy may also be purchased.

The former,

Feb 19 2008 3 Comments

Tokyo apartment appeal

The Japanese are famously relaxed about religion, with Shinto ceremonies for newborn children, Christian-style weddings for those a little older, and Buddhist funerals to finally finish things off. As such, outside the ‘traditional’ Shinto and Buddhist beliefs, it’s difficult for other faiths to force their way in, with Christians still only making up around 1% of the population.

It’s perhaps these limited numbers then, and also the high price of land, that has resulted in this church having to resort to renting part of a ramshackle apartment block.

A situation that means other tenants will be in the highly unusual position of being woken through the wafer thin walls on a Sunday by the neighbours hammering away at a hymn rather than a hump.

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