Hinduism in Japan's Shrines: Tracing Saraswati Through Time and Tradition
Tokyo is full of shrines and temples, and my neighborhood has its fair share as well. Several large ones are within a 10-minute walk, but my favorite is the self-effacing Nukebenten. It stands quietly at one corner of the intersection named after it, nearly lost in the middle of the tall buildings all around. Instead of skirting the shrine, you might take the path through it, pausing to pay your respects to the deity and admire the koi in the spring-fed pool. The Nukebenten shrine and koi swimming in its natural spring pool.
Nukebenten is dedicated to Benzaiten, the goddess of all things that flow – water, eloquence, knowledge, and music – in Japanese Buddhism. Temples and shrines dedicated to Benzaiten are often built next to water bodies.
One of the most famous shrines dedicated to Benzaiten is the iconic Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima. It has a striking red torii gate that stands partially submerged in the Seto Inland Sea during high tide. Partially submerged torii gate of the Itsukushima Jinja in Miyajima.
Itsukushima Shrine, which was built in 593 CE, originally enshrined the Munakata Sanjojin – sister deities associated with the sea, maritime safety, and prosperity in Shinto. However, after the arrival of Buddhism, the eldest of the Munakata sisters (Ichikishima-hime-no-Kami) became syncretized with Benzaiten.
The Shinjuku Nukebenten is actually a branch of the Itsukushima Shrine. According to shrine records, a nobleman named Taira no Sukemichi brought the spirit of the Miyajima Benzaiten. There, he enshrined it atop a hill near the Kamakura Kaido, an ancient route connecting Edo with Kamakura, during the late Heian period (794–1185).
What is now the bustling metropolis of Tokyo was largely undeveloped wilderness in those days. Itsukushima shrine provided an easy passage from north to south without having to circumvent the hill. This earned it the nickname Nukebenten, or "pass-through Benzaiten," which eventually led to it becoming associated with helping worshippers overcome life's difficulties. Path going through the Nukebenten shrine.
Benzaiten in Japan is the product of syncretism between Shinto and Buddhism. However, the reason for her presence in Buddhism in the first place is the result of the syncretization between Buddhism and Hinduism.
Buddhism, as taught by the Buddha himself, is a nontheistic philosophy. In the centuries after the Buddha's death, however, his teachings evolved through interactions with local cultures and philosophies wherever they went, giving rise to diverse schools.
The three major schools of Buddhism today are Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Theravada, practiced in countries like Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Myanmar, remains closest to the Buddha's original teachings as preserved in the Pali Canon.
Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, which spread north to China, Korea, Japan, and Tibet, incorporate many elements of Hinduism. Among these are Hindu deities such as Saraswati, the goddess of eloquence, music, and wisdom, who appears in Japanese Buddhism as Benzaiten. Sarasvati with alapini vina, Pala period (901–1200 CE), Pala Period, Eastern India. 1832 ukiyo-e of Benzaiten by Aoigaoka Keisei.
In Hinduism, Saraswati's origin predates her identity as a goddess. She was once a mighty river flowing through northwestern India. The Rig Veda, Hinduism's most sacred scripture, is a collection of hymns and poems composed over the course of thousands of years and compiled in its present form about 3500 years ago. It has several verses dedicated to Saraswati, one of which describes her as follows:
We invoke Saraswati, the slayer of mountains, who shatters mountain ridges with her forceful, roaring waves like a mighty warrior – we invoke Her protection with well-worded praise and prayers. (RV 6.61.2)
Also from the Rig Veda, we know that the Vedas were composed on the banks of the River Saraswati, where the Vedic people lived, learned, and performed yajnas (fire ceremonies accompanied by the chanting of Vedic hymns). This led to the river also being revered as the goddess of speech, music, and wisdom in Hinduism. Rough map showing where scientists believe Saraswati flowed at the end of the last ice age.
Unfortunately, the River Saraswati dried up. Geoscientists believe that what had once been a raging glacial river, bringing down Himalayan snowmelt, weakened as the Himalayan icecap receded. Sometime between 9000-4500 BCE, Saraswati ceased to be a glacial river and became rain-fed instead. Then, as the monsoons weakened, Saraswati dried up entirely by around 2300-2000 BCE.
Her legacy as the goddess of eloquence, speech, music, and wisdom, however, lives on.
Saraswati is only one of several Hindu deities that came to Japan as part of Buddhism during its spread from India via China and Korea. Other prominent Hindu deities worshipped in Japan include Daikokuten (associated with Mahakala, a form of Shiva), Bonten (Brahma), Daikokunyo (Kali), Kichijoten (Lakshmi), Kangiten (Ganesha), Taishakuten (Indra), Bishamonten (Kubera), and Emma-o (Yama).
Although introduced through Buddhism, many of these deities have also been incorporated into Shinto, reflecting Japan's syncretism of Buddhist and Shinto traditions. The Shichifukujin (Seven Gods of Good Fortune), which frequently include Benzaiten, Daikokuten, Kichijoten, and Bishamonten, exemplify this blend.
Buddhism and Hindu deities certainly contribute to the religious connection between Japan and India. However, I am more struck by the deeper parallel that lies in the polytheistic and syncretic nature of both countries' native religious traditions.
Both Shinto and Hinduism encourage reverence for diverse deities as manifestations of an abstract divine principle. Hinduism today is a rich tapestry of Vedic, Agamic, and Tantric traditions, seamlessly integrating their worship practices, deities, and philosophies into a composite whole embraced by most practicing Hindus. Similarly, Japanese religion combines Shinto's kami worship with elements of Buddhism, Hinduism, Daoism, and folk traditions, creating a fluid and inclusive spiritual landscape.
The Nukebenten Itsukushima Shrine in Shinjuku is part of the Shinjuku Yamanote Shichifukujin pilgrimage, which became popular during the Edo period (1603–1868).
In addition to Nukebenten, the pilgrimage circuit includes: Taisoji Temple, honoring Hotei
Inari Kio Shrine, honoring Ebisu
Eifukuji Temple, honoring Fukurokuju
Hozenji Temple, honoring Jurojin
Kyoji Temple, also honoring Daikokuten
Zenkokuji temple, honoring Bishamonten
These shrines to deities from diverse religious traditions reflect the shared polytheistic and syncretic spirit that unites Japanese and Indian religious traditions.
Author: Usha Jayaraman
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Japan Forward
13-07-2025
- Japan Forward
Hinduism in Japan's Shrines: Tracing Saraswati Through Time and Tradition
Buddhism and Hinduism contribute to the religious connection between Japan and India, but a deeper parallel lies in the polytheistic and syncretic nature of both countries' native religious traditions. Tokyo is full of shrines and temples, and my neighborhood has its fair share as well. Several large ones are within a 10-minute walk, but my favorite is the self-effacing Nukebenten. It stands quietly at one corner of the intersection named after it, nearly lost in the middle of the tall buildings all around. Instead of skirting the shrine, you might take the path through it, pausing to pay your respects to the deity and admire the koi in the spring-fed pool. The Nukebenten shrine and koi swimming in its natural spring pool. Nukebenten is dedicated to Benzaiten, the goddess of all things that flow – water, eloquence, knowledge, and music – in Japanese Buddhism. Temples and shrines dedicated to Benzaiten are often built next to water bodies. One of the most famous shrines dedicated to Benzaiten is the iconic Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima. It has a striking red torii gate that stands partially submerged in the Seto Inland Sea during high tide. Partially submerged torii gate of the Itsukushima Jinja in Miyajima. Itsukushima Shrine, which was built in 593 CE, originally enshrined the Munakata Sanjojin – sister deities associated with the sea, maritime safety, and prosperity in Shinto. However, after the arrival of Buddhism, the eldest of the Munakata sisters (Ichikishima-hime-no-Kami) became syncretized with Benzaiten. The Shinjuku Nukebenten is actually a branch of the Itsukushima Shrine. According to shrine records, a nobleman named Taira no Sukemichi brought the spirit of the Miyajima Benzaiten. There, he enshrined it atop a hill near the Kamakura Kaido, an ancient route connecting Edo with Kamakura, during the late Heian period (794–1185). What is now the bustling metropolis of Tokyo was largely undeveloped wilderness in those days. Itsukushima shrine provided an easy passage from north to south without having to circumvent the hill. This earned it the nickname Nukebenten, or "pass-through Benzaiten," which eventually led to it becoming associated with helping worshippers overcome life's difficulties. Path going through the Nukebenten shrine. Benzaiten in Japan is the product of syncretism between Shinto and Buddhism. However, the reason for her presence in Buddhism in the first place is the result of the syncretization between Buddhism and Hinduism. Buddhism, as taught by the Buddha himself, is a nontheistic philosophy. In the centuries after the Buddha's death, however, his teachings evolved through interactions with local cultures and philosophies wherever they went, giving rise to diverse schools. The three major schools of Buddhism today are Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Theravada, practiced in countries like Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Myanmar, remains closest to the Buddha's original teachings as preserved in the Pali Canon. Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, which spread north to China, Korea, Japan, and Tibet, incorporate many elements of Hinduism. Among these are Hindu deities such as Saraswati, the goddess of eloquence, music, and wisdom, who appears in Japanese Buddhism as Benzaiten. Sarasvati with alapini vina, Pala period (901–1200 CE), Pala Period, Eastern India. 1832 ukiyo-e of Benzaiten by Aoigaoka Keisei. In Hinduism, Saraswati's origin predates her identity as a goddess. She was once a mighty river flowing through northwestern India. The Rig Veda, Hinduism's most sacred scripture, is a collection of hymns and poems composed over the course of thousands of years and compiled in its present form about 3500 years ago. It has several verses dedicated to Saraswati, one of which describes her as follows: We invoke Saraswati, the slayer of mountains, who shatters mountain ridges with her forceful, roaring waves like a mighty warrior – we invoke Her protection with well-worded praise and prayers. (RV 6.61.2) Also from the Rig Veda, we know that the Vedas were composed on the banks of the River Saraswati, where the Vedic people lived, learned, and performed yajnas (fire ceremonies accompanied by the chanting of Vedic hymns). This led to the river also being revered as the goddess of speech, music, and wisdom in Hinduism. Rough map showing where scientists believe Saraswati flowed at the end of the last ice age. Unfortunately, the River Saraswati dried up. Geoscientists believe that what had once been a raging glacial river, bringing down Himalayan snowmelt, weakened as the Himalayan icecap receded. Sometime between 9000-4500 BCE, Saraswati ceased to be a glacial river and became rain-fed instead. Then, as the monsoons weakened, Saraswati dried up entirely by around 2300-2000 BCE. Her legacy as the goddess of eloquence, speech, music, and wisdom, however, lives on. Saraswati is only one of several Hindu deities that came to Japan as part of Buddhism during its spread from India via China and Korea. Other prominent Hindu deities worshipped in Japan include Daikokuten (associated with Mahakala, a form of Shiva), Bonten (Brahma), Daikokunyo (Kali), Kichijoten (Lakshmi), Kangiten (Ganesha), Taishakuten (Indra), Bishamonten (Kubera), and Emma-o (Yama). Although introduced through Buddhism, many of these deities have also been incorporated into Shinto, reflecting Japan's syncretism of Buddhist and Shinto traditions. The Shichifukujin (Seven Gods of Good Fortune), which frequently include Benzaiten, Daikokuten, Kichijoten, and Bishamonten, exemplify this blend. Buddhism and Hindu deities certainly contribute to the religious connection between Japan and India. However, I am more struck by the deeper parallel that lies in the polytheistic and syncretic nature of both countries' native religious traditions. Both Shinto and Hinduism encourage reverence for diverse deities as manifestations of an abstract divine principle. Hinduism today is a rich tapestry of Vedic, Agamic, and Tantric traditions, seamlessly integrating their worship practices, deities, and philosophies into a composite whole embraced by most practicing Hindus. Similarly, Japanese religion combines Shinto's kami worship with elements of Buddhism, Hinduism, Daoism, and folk traditions, creating a fluid and inclusive spiritual landscape. The Nukebenten Itsukushima Shrine in Shinjuku is part of the Shinjuku Yamanote Shichifukujin pilgrimage, which became popular during the Edo period (1603–1868). In addition to Nukebenten, the pilgrimage circuit includes: Taisoji Temple, honoring Hotei Inari Kio Shrine, honoring Ebisu Eifukuji Temple, honoring Fukurokuju Hozenji Temple, honoring Jurojin Kyoji Temple, also honoring Daikokuten Zenkokuji temple, honoring Bishamonten These shrines to deities from diverse religious traditions reflect the shared polytheistic and syncretic spirit that unites Japanese and Indian religious traditions. Author: Usha Jayaraman
Winnipeg Free Press
28-05-2025
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In Japan, rare bobtail cats are considered good luck. Nagasaki is filled with them
NAGASAKI, Japan (AP) — In Japan, bobtail cats are considered good luck and Nagasaki is the place to find them. They are known as 'omagari neko (bent-tail cats)' or 'kagi neko (hook cats)' and have their own society of admirers and even a dedicated Shinto shrine. Their tails come in varieties including hook-shaped at the tip, curved or in a bun, explained Kazuya Hideshima, a worker at Omagari Neko Shrine and member of the Nagasaki Cat Society. Past findings have indicated bobtails accounted for nearly 80% of the cats in Nagasaki, twice the occurrence of anywhere else in Japan. Japanese cats are believed to have come from China in the 6th century with Buddhist monks, serving as rat hunters to protect religious scriptures on ships. Nagasaki bobtails have their roots in the Dutch East Indies when the city was the only foreign port during Japan's closed era in the 17th to 19th centuries. They hunted rats to protect shipments on their way from Southeast Asia to Japan, according to Nagasaki cultural officials. Soshin Yamamoto, a veterinarian and cat specialist, said the large population of bobtails in Nagasaki is likely the result of a genetic mutation that reproduced in a relatively isolated environment when the nation was shut up tight. 'Having bobtails is no problem for most cats living a normal life, as long as they live near humans and aren't jumping and running around like wild cats in a forest,' he said. Nagasaki residents hope the cats bring in tourists and help business. Natsuno Kani, a 50-year-old tourist from Tokyo who recently visited the bobtail shrine, said she knew Nagasaki was famous for bent-tail cats. But Abigail Tarraso, an artist from Spain based in Takeo City in neighboring Saga prefecture, was unfamiliar with the species, which is not as popular in Spain. 'Today is the first time in Nagasaki that I have ever heard of this,' said Cindy Bi, an American who is also an artist. 'I am excited to look around for them. Maybe we will see a few.'
Japan Forward
08-05-2025
- Japan Forward
Ise Peninsula: Into the Mystic
Traveling through the Ise Peninsula is a little like passing through an ancient force field. The land, if not entirely of the gods, is one of powerful, at times even tangible, forces. Centered on the grid of Ise Jingu, a complex of shrines and dedicatory sites, transmissions from the spot radiate throughout the peninsula. They manifest themselves in the number of shrines, many of them sea-facing, temples, dedication stones, religious statues, and miniature rocks shaped into a likeness of Mount Fuji. I hesitate to associate the area with the word "power spot," an overused expression often employed to drum up visitor numbers to formerly unremarkable sights. But the peninsula is, almost by definition, a region throbbing with the sacred. A miniature sacred Mount Fuji rock in the precincts of a local Ise shrine. (©Stephen Mansfield) Coming by design or chance upon age-old rituals and ceremonies, watching Japanese supplicants at prayer, or making offerings in tiny forest shrines, adds to the sensation of being connected in some mysterious fashion to a powerful spiritual eminence. Ise Jingu is the source of this supra-natural spiritual energy. It consists of worship sites not only for ordinary Japanese people and other visitors but for centuries of imperial family members. The shrines and their sacred halls are consecrated to the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu, the putative ancestor of an imperial line believed to stretch back two thousand years. They are located in the depths of a cryptomeria forest, the perpetual twilight creating a uniquely Japanese air of sanctity. Atmosphere surpasses the actual encounter, as the shrines can only be glimpsed from the outside. The interior is off-limits to all but the priests who serve here, high-ranking Shinto officials, members of the imperial family, and specially entitled guests. Judging from the smoothness of the trunk, many people have touched this sacred tree on the grounds of Naiku, Ise's Inner Shrine. (©Stephen Mansfield) Photography beyond the tori gates that announce the entrance to the compounds is strictly prohibited. There is a certain irony in the fact that these simple structures, some of the most important religious monuments in the world, cannot be seen in their entirety. It's as if the doors of Westminster Abbey or the Sistine Chapel were permanently closed, their tombs, stained-glass windows, and paintings imagined rather than confirmed. It does, though, add to a sense of impenetrable mystique. Naiku, Ise's Inner Shrine, is the stage for a surprisingly large number of rites connected to rice cultivation and harvesting. Interestingly, the shrines at Ise, predicated on the idea of purity, are rebuilt in identical form every twenty years. The practice was begun in 690 AD, and has continued without interruption to the present day. The next rebuilding, if you happen to be around, will take place in 2033. Judged masterpieces of native, vernacular architecture, the German architect Bruno Taut (1880–1938), overwhelmed by the majestic simplicity of the structures, declared, "The Parthenon is the most aesthetically sublime building in stone, as are the Ise shrines in wood." Simple, but architecturally pure structures at Ise Jingu. (©Stephen Mansfield) The inner sanctums of the shrine not being open to the general public, the prohibition is responsible for the sublime irony that one of the world's foremost religious monuments remains invisible to the eye. It may be that the spirit of the Grand Shrines, their air of sanctity and mystery, derives from the very lack of drama and exposure. It comes not from an over-abundance of religious ornamentation, but from native spatial forms that can resemble empty theaters. A similar, but smaller set of sacred structures exists at Geku, the Outer Shrine, dedicated to Toyouke O-kami, the Divinity of Abundant Food. Some visitors prefer the proportions of this complex, which, dedicated to divinities, feels closer to the human scale. Though similarly concealed from the sight of visitors, the Mike-den, a secondary structure of the outermost enclosure, has a fence that you can peer through and sometimes see food offerings being made. On the way to Naiku, the bus passed Sarutahiko, an easily overlooked shrine. We later looped back to it, drawn by the sound of drums. Here, a sacred rice growing ritual was taking place, involving men and women dressed in traditional farming wear. A scene from a rice ritual at Sarutahiko Shrine. (©Stephen Mansfield) Female participants at a rice harvest ritual on the grounds of an Ise shrine. (©Stephen Mansfield) There were already several spectators lined up around a rice paddy at the back of the shrine, and a ceremony involving sake was taking place next to the field, with two priests summoning the gods by blowing on conches. The slow, methodical movements of the sowers were mesmeric. A scene from a rice ritual at Sarutahiko Shrine. (©Stephen Mansfield) Giant fans form part of a rice-planting ritual at Sarutahiko Shrine. (©Stephen Mansfield) Coming across the ritual was pure luck, the first of a number of auspicious events that took place over those short days. Driving into the coastal town of Futami, on the northeast coast of the peninsula, I was lucky to find a parking space, such was the number of visitors. This was soon explained. The site of the famous Meoto Iwa, or "wedded rocks," is an image that finds itself on calendars, tourist brochures, and international airports. It was playing host to a ritual in which its two boulders were being decked out with fresh shimenawa , or sacred ropes. A participant involved in the ritual of rope placement at Meoto Iwa. (©Stephen Mansfield) Representing the primordial deities, Izanagi and Izanami, the founding gods of Japan, the replacement process required the services of several men. Each waded through the sea to the rocks, bearing sections of the heavy rope. A simple enough task, you might think, but one necessitating great physical strength and group coordination. A "shimenawa" sacred rice fiber rope and paper "gohei" streamers encircle a sacred tree. (©Stephen Mansfield) It was late afternoon and chilly when I made my way along a woodland path towards the waterfall of Shirataki Daimyojin, on the outskirts of Toba, a key port on the peninsula. Wood smoke emitted from a fire built up for two young women who had just finished a purification ritual known as misogi. The ritual involved standing beneath a cooling toreent, chanting the words, " neigai tamae , kanae tamae ," meaning "pray hard, that it may come to pass." Claiming to feel thoroughly purified by the immersions, the women described their self-administered ordeal as "experience tourism." Sights like this are less well-documented than some of the region's other highly publicized events. However, visitors who have more time to penetrate the interior of the peninsula, its forest shrines, and ancient mountain temples will discover a seemingly lost world of esoteric spiritual practices. Exploring an intensely cultural region like this can be a thirsty business. That night I ordered two freezing cans of Simo Beer. It's a curious name, but when you hear it pronounced as "Shimo," it begins to make more sense, the spelling denoting the old name of the area. Shinto, the faith that pervades this region, has no truck with drinking. In fact, sake is a sacred brew. It's a belief system that appears to endorse a view of life that, despite its formalistic rituals, offers a good deal of latitude. On the Ise Peninsula, we found that alcoholic spirits and the spirit of place converge in perfect harmony, and to everyone's spiritual and bodily enrichment. Author: Stephen Mansfield
