There are many photos on social media of tourists taking a snapshot of the countless, striking red gates in Kyoto while traveling through Japan. But what are they all about?

The gates are called torii (鳥居) and mark the beginning of the realm of the gods of Shintoism. It is considered the original faith of Japan and, similar to Greek mythology, there is not just one god, but a multitude. These gods, also known as “kami”, can appear in all kinds of forms, such as objects and things of nature. The buildings of Shintoism are called shrines. An object of worship is kept in them and many Japanese people regularly go to one of the shrines near them to pray for good luck, among other things.

Buddhism also spilled over into Japan around the fifth century and developed into the second most important religion in Japan. Buddhist facilities are known as temples and do not have a torii gate.

Both religions are closely interwoven in the history of Japan and in the everyday life of the Japanese

Externally, Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples are difficult to distinguish from one another. However, this distinction is hardly necessary anyway, as both religions are closely interwoven in the history of Japan and in the everyday life of the Japanese and coexist peacefully.

There is a saying that Japanese people are born Shinto and die Buddhist. This is because joyous occasions such as births, weddings, rites of passage and the like are celebrated at Shinto shrines, while Buddhism defines life after death and therefore a Buddhist temple is usually visited for funerals.

everyone […] is […] welcome to visit a temple or shrine and take part in the respective rituals

Both faiths accept the existence of a multitude of gods. Therefore, they are not mutually exclusive and anyone, regardless of which other religion they feel they belong to, is welcome to visit a temple or shrine and participate in the respective rituals, provided they behave respectfully.

So you can learn a lot about Shintoism and Buddhism during your trip. And if you want to visit a shrine with countless gates yourself, there is also the opportunity to do so in northern Japan.