Japan's Hindu Linkages

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Japan's Hindu linkages still alive

Delhi, India, Feb. 17, 2007

http://www.indiaenews.com/art-

culture/20070217/39888.htm

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Apart from the widely known fact that Buddhism in

Japan has its origin in India, not many probably know

that so many Hindu deities surround Japanese life.

 

Speaking at a lecture titled 'Hindu Gods and Goddesses

rooted to Japan' here Friday, Lokesh Chandra, the

director of International Academy of Indian Culture,

highlighted how deeply Indian religion and culture has

influenced Japanese culture and tradition over the past

centuries.

 

He said that many temples across Japan are full of

Hindu deities.

 

Chandra said Japanese couples who desire to have a

beautiful daughter pray to goddess 'Saraswati' even to

this day. Saraswati is also believed as the patroness of

writers and painters.

 

'In ancient times, Japanese generals prayed to Saraswati

to be victorious in war,' Chandra told the gathering

which was also attended by the Japanese Ambassador to

India, Yasukuni Enoki, and his wife.

 

The year 2007 is being celebrated as Japan-India

Friendship Year to commemorate the 50th year of the

cultural agreement between the two countries.

 

According to Chandra, who has traveled to Japan many

times to study the country's culture and tradition,

Saraswati is also worshipped as the 'goddesses of

kitchen'.

 

Many traditional Japanese plays are dedicated to the

Indian deity.

 

Sharing a trivia he said how in 1934, a Japanese woman

had a vision that she was the incarnation of goddess

Saraswati and stared writing in Sanskrit, a language she

never heard off.

 

There is a suburban district in Tokyo named Kichijo,

which traces its roots to 'Lakshmi', the Hindu goddess of

wealth. Lakshmi was propagated to China along with

Buddhism in the ancient time, to be known as Kichijo in

its Chinese form and then reached Japan as a Buddhist

goddess.

 

Chandra also spoke extensively about how Sanskrit

language has influenced traditional Japanese

calligraphy.

 

The Indian text was introduced into Japanese society

many centuries ago. Japanese monks had to study

Sanskrit in order to master Buddhism from original

Indian scriptures and textbooks.

 

Lord Ganesha in Japan symbolizes the joy of life that

arises from the power rooted in the virtues of wisdom

and compassion.

 

Young Japanese worship Ganesha to win in love

whereas the old worship the deity to get success in

business.

 

There are roughly 100 temples dedicated to Ganesha in

Japan, Chandra added. An 11th century Ganesha temple

is the oldest among them.

 

Together with Hindu gods and goddess, ancient

Japanese society was also introduced to Indian dance

forms and musical instruments.

 

A typical example is the 'Biwa', which actually had its

origin from the Indian 'Veena'. One of Japan's largest

lakes is also known as Lake Biwa.

 

One can also see the influence of the Indian epic

Ramayana in the traditional Japanese dance forms of

'Bugaku' and 'Gigaku'.

 

The yearlong cultural celebration was kicked off here

last week that was attended by former Japanese Prime

Minister Yoshiro Mori among others.