SOCIETY
Happy Science: Inside Japan’s Far-Right Religious Movement
In the mid-1980s, a Japanese salaryman declared himself the reincarnation of Buddha and Hermes. Now his religious organization claims millions of adherents.
religion
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SOCIETY
CULTURE
Aokigahara, Japan’s “Suicide Forest”: Drowning in a Sea of Trees
Why has Aokigahara, a forest full of legend and history, gained notoriety as a haven of death?
TECHNOLOGY
A Buddhist Temple in Kyoto Gets Its First Android Saint
If you were planning to join the Buddhist priesthood because a robot took your job...welp, I've got some bad news for you.
CULTURE
Ticket for Monk Driving in Robes is Tossed, But Legal Issues Linger
A monk who sparked an online rebellion gets his fine thrown out - but the issue of whether monks are legally allowed…
SOCIETY
Anti-Vax Japanese Religious Cult Apologizes for Measles Outbreak
A religious group in Mie Prefecture apologizes after its resistance to modern medicine nearly causes an epidemic.
CULTURE
Hatsumode: Japan’s First Shrine Visit of the New Year
How Japan's most popular New Years custom has changed over the centuries.
CULTURE
New Years in Japan: Its History and Traditions
How the oldest celebrated holiday in Japan has changed throughout the years, and the traditions that have come along with it.
CULTURE
Shinto: The History and Practice of Japan’s Native Religion
Shinto is more than a religion - it's also an indelible part of Japanese culture. Krys Suzuki discusses the structure, beliefs, and…