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Hinduism in Japan

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Hindus in Japan
日本のヒンズー教徒
Total population
Increase 320000 (0.26%) (2025)
Languages
Liturgical: Sanskrit

Hinduism is a minority religion in Japan mainly followed by the Indian, Sri Lankan and Nepali expatriate residents of Japan, who number about 320,000 people as of mid 2025.[1]

History

Hinduism diffused throughout East Asia via trade routes, and also through the expansion of Buddhism in the sixth century.[2] There has also been significant transfer of Hindu-derived material native to China and South East Asia into Japan.[3][4][5]

Hindu deities have been integrated into Japanese religious culture and several deities are worshiped for good luck.[6] In fact there are many deities that are still worshiped in Japan which have long been forgotten in India.[7]

Saraswati (Benzaiten) is arguably the most revered deity in Japan after the Buddha.[8] She forms as a part of the "Seven Gods of Fortune", of which four originated as Hindu deities: Benzaitensama (Sarasvati), Bishamon (Vaiśravaṇa or Kubera), Daikokuten (Mahākāla or Shiva), and Kichijōten (Lakshmi). The last, along with Benzaitennyo (Saraswati) and the female version of Daikokuten completes the nipponized Tridevi of Great Goddesses.[9]

The Hindu god of death, Yama, is known in his Buddhist form as Enma. Garuda, the mount (vahana) of Vishnu, is known as the Karura (迦楼羅), an enormous, fire-breathing creature in Japan. It has the body of a human and the face or beak of an eagle. Tennin originated from the apsaras.[10]

Ganesha (or Kangiten) is prayed to for health, success and good fortune. Many Japanese Buddhist deities (or Tenbu) have their roots in Hinduism and are still revered by many Japanese particularly in Shingon Buddhism.[11][12][13]

Hindu philosophical and religious influence

Hindu traditions have had an influence on the Japanese religious culture.

Hindu-derived practices such as mantras, mandalas and fire rituals became important within Japanese Buddhism, mainly the Shingon and Tendai traditions. Scholars have noted the significant Indian elements preserved in Japanese religious practices, although these traditions were adapted within Japanese Buddhist and religious contexts rather than representing a direct relationship with Hinduism.[14][15]

List of Hindu gods in Japanese culture

Deities[16] [17]
English Japanese Thai-Brahmi Devanagari-Sanskrit
Agni 火天 พระอัคนี अग्नि
Ganesh 歓喜天 พระพิฆเนศวร गणेश
Garuda 迦楼羅 ครุฑ गरुड़
Lakshmi 吉祥天 พระลักษมี लक्ष्मी
Virupak 広目天 ท้าววิรูปักษ์ विरूपाक्ष
Prithvi 地天 พระปฤถวี पृथ्वी
Varuna 水天 พระพิรุณ वरुण
Viruthak 増長天 ท้าววิรุฬหก विरूढक
Dakini 荼枳尼天 ฑากิณี डाकिणी
Mahakala 大黑天 มหากาฬ महाकाल
Apsara 天人 อัปสร अप्सरा
Sakr 帝釈天 ท้าวสักกะ शक्र
Surya 日天 พระอาทิตย์ सूर्य
Brahma 梵天 พระพรหม ब्रह्मा
Vaishravana 毘沙門天 ท้าวเวสวัณ वैश्रवण
Saraswati 弁才天 พระสุรัสวดี सरस्वती
Vayu 風天 พระพาย वायु
Rahu 羅睺 พระราหู राहु
Rakshassa 羅刹天 รากษส राक्षस
Ishana 伊舎那天 พระอีศาน ईशान
Skanda 韋駄天 พระเวทโพธิสัตว์ स्कन्द
Yama 閻魔天 พระยม यम

Present situation

Hinduism is practiced mainly by Nepali, Indian and Sri Lankan migrants, although there are others. As of 2025, there are 63,472 Sri Lankans, 60,975 Indians and 273,043 Nepalis in Japan.[18] [19][20]

Hindu temples in Japan are as follows:

The Association of Religion Data Archives estimated that 0.07% of the population of Japan were Hindu in 2020.[21]

References

  1. ↑ "令和６年６月末現在における在留外国人数について | 出入国在留管理庁". www.moj.go.jp. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
  2. ↑ Acharya, Amitav. "Journey to the East: The Hindu-Buddhist Making of Southeast Asia". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  3. ↑ Pant, Don McLain Gill & Harsh V. (2023-11-21). "India and Japan Converge in Southeast Asia". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  4. ↑ "Southeast Asia: History and Culture – Japan society for Southeast Asian Studies". Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  5. ↑ "Southeast Asia and Japan: Linked by Ties of Cultural Exchange". The Government of Japan - JapanGov -. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  6. ↑ "Japan's Hindu Linkages Still Alive". hwpi.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  7. ↑ "Hindu deities in Japan". Frontline. 2015-09-16. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  8. ↑ "'Saraswati is the most revered deity in Japan, after the Buddha': Filmmaker Benoy Behl". The Indian Express. 2019-05-11. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  9. ↑ "Butsuzōzui (Illustrated Compendium of Buddhist Images)" (in Japanese). Ehime University Library. 1796. p. (059.jpg). Archived from the original (digital photos) on 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2016-04-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  10. ↑ "Tennyo | Yokai.com". yokai.com. Retrieved 2026-05-31.
  11. ↑ Khushi Gupta (2025-05-31). "Buddhas, Deities, and Scripts: Tracing India's Legacy in Japan" (PDF). doi:10.47362/EJSSS.2025.6104. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2025-06-02.
  12. ↑ "Lord Ganesha is worshipped in this unique form in Japan". The Times of India. 2024-09-22. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-06-01.
  13. ↑ "Gaṇeśa's Underbelly - From Hindu Goblin God to Japanese Tantric Twosome" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-09-07.
  14. ↑ Keyworth, George (2022-07-06), "Did the Silk Road(s) Extend from Dunhuang, Mount Wutai, and Chang'an to Kyoto, Japan? A Reassessment Based on Material Culture from the Temple Gate Tendai Tradition of Miidera", Buddhism in Central Asia II, BRILL, pp. 17–67, doi:10.1163/9789004508446_003, ISBN 978-90-04-50793-7, archived from the original on 2026-02-26, retrieved 2026-09-15{{citation}}: CS1 maint: work parameter with ISBN (link)
  15. ↑ "二国間交流事業シンポジウム「日印交流における仏教」 ｜ The Center for South Asian Studies(RINDAS)". The Center for South Asian Studies(RINDAS) (in 日本語). Retrieved 2026-09-15.
  16. ↑ "Hindu Contributions to Japanese Religion" (PDF). Hindu Education. Archived from the original on 2006-10-21. Retrieved May 14, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  17. ↑ Benoy, Behl. "Sanskrit and Hindu Deities in Japan". India Today.
  18. ↑ "Number of foreign residents in Japan hits record high: surge in foreign labour". The Straits Times. 10 October 2025.
  19. ↑ Ministry of Justice Statistics
  20. ↑ "データセット一覧". e-stat (in 日本語). Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  21. ↑ "Japan, Religion And Social Profile". thearda.com. Retrieved 2023-06-04.

Notes

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