Religion for Whom? - Ueno Toshogu Shrine and Hanazono Inari Jinja Shrine 宗教の存在意義 - 上野東照宮と花園稲荷神社

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

After enjoying more than 20 types of peonies, yellow wintersweet and pink Japanese apricot at Ueno Peony Garden, I dropped by Ueno Toshogu shrine and Hanazono Inari Jinja shrine nearby to pray for health and safety. That was January 4 right before the declaration of a state of emergency in Japan. 

Ueno Toshogu shrine 上野東照宮

Five story pagoda of Ueno Toshogu shrine 上野東照宮の五重塔

Vermilion torii gates of Hanazono Inari Jinja shrine 花園稲荷神社の鳥居

Vermilion torii gates of Hanazono Inari Jinja shrine 花園稲荷神社の鳥居

Hanazono Inari Jinja shrine 花園稲荷神社

A torii gate (in the third and fourth photos) is a traditional Japanese gate commonly found at the entrance of, or within, a Shinto shrine symbolically marking the transition from the mundane to the sacred (according to Wikipedia). In other words, we can see torii gates in Shinto shrines but not in temples, and therefore I rarely see torii gates in Tokyo because I don't go to shrines in Tokyo. 

Many shrines in Tokyo have been so politicized that they no longer "authentic" Shinto shrines but "national" Shinto shrines, such as Yasukuni Jinja shrine, which enshrines war criminals, and Meiji Jingu shrine, which worships Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken.

Shinto is the oldest religion in Japan, older than Buddhism, which was exported from India through Korea. Shinto is said to have originated between 14,000-300 BCE. One of the big differences between Shinto and other religions is that this indigenous religion has no God, but finds gods in everything, e.g., mountains, trees, and rice paddies. I like this concept.  

I visited several religious sites, i.e., Buddhist temples, traditional Shinto shrines, and an Islamic mosque, from the end of last year through the beginning of this year. I also had an opportunity to talk with a Jehovah's Witness about religion and faith. These visits and chat made me ponder the raison d'etre of religion and faith, making me resolved to go to any sacred sites for peace and prosperity for people, not those for war criminals or specific persons.

One sad thing is that the vermilion torii gates of Hanazono Inari Jinja shrine reminded me of Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine in Kyoto, which has thousands of torii gates. I have not been to Kyoto since May 2019 because of Covid-19....

  

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上野東照宮と花園稲荷神社です。上野東照宮ぼたん苑で20種類以上の牡丹、蝋梅、ピンクの梅を楽しんだ後にお参りしました。

東京の神社には行きません。八百万の神は信じているのですが「国家神道」になるともうダメです。戦犯だけでなく「○○天皇」というのも政治利用されているようでだめです。だから靖国神社も明治神宮も行きません。

年末から年始にかけて、神社仏閣、モスクに行き、エホバの証人の信者の方とも話す機会がありました。私自身はどの宗教にも属して（信じて）いません。苦しいときは、哲学、社会学、社会心理学などに頼ります。

一つだけ愚痴が｡｡｡😂 花園稲荷神社の鳥居を見て、伏見稲荷神社→京都！と連想してしまいました。コロナのせいで2019年5月以来、京都には行けていません。次回がいつになるかは分かりませんがいろいろな思いとともに行くことになるでしょう。今から楽しみです。

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