Religion in Japan is manifested primarily in Shintoism and Buddhism, the two main faiths, which are often practiced simultaneously. According to estimates, as many as 80% of the populace follow Shinto rituals to some degree, worshiping ancestors and spirits at domestic altars and public shrines. An almost equally high number is reported as Buddhist. Syncretic combinations of both, known generally as shinbutsu-shūgō, are common and were the country's dominant faith before the rise of State Shinto in the 19th century.[4] The western concept of "religion" (translated as 宗教, shūkyō), as an organized doctrinal system which demands exclusive adherence, is problematic in local context. Many researchers dismissed it as a useful tool in explaining Japanese society. Spirituality and worship are highly eclectic and personalized, and religious affiliation is an alien notion. While the vast majority follow Shinto, only some 3% identify as such in surveys, because it is understood to imply membership of Shinto sects.[5][6] About two thirds identify as "without religion" (無宗教, mushūkyō), yet this does not signify irreligion. The mushūkyō is a specified identity which is used mostly to affirm regular, "normal" religiosity while rejecting affiliation with distinct movements perceived as foreign or extreme. Objective non-religiosity and rejection of traditional faith is evident among the urban and educated, though exact figures are hard to gather.[7]
According to the annual statistical research on religion in 2018 by the Agency for Culture Affairs, Government of Japan, 69.0 percent of the population practices Shintoism, 66.7 percent Buddhism, 1.5 percent Christianity, and 6.2 percent other religions.[3]
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