Secularization, the Decline of Temple Buddhism, and the Search for Connection in Contemporary Japan

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Abstract/Contents

Abstract: This thesis aims to contribute to the scholarly discussion of secularization in Japan through a nuanced analysis of demographic changes, their connection to family structure, and the importance of Japanese family structure to a functional and thriving Buddhist order. Based on a review of scholarly definitions of religion and secularity in a Japanese context, this thesis makes the case for a theory of Japanese secularization that considers the relationships embedded in Japanese religious practice and avoids relying on a Protestant-based understanding of religion. It suggests that the ie family system that integrated Japan was central to the structure of the Buddhist order and facilitated ancestor worship as its primary form of ritual practice. This, in addition to the marginalization of Buddhism to the sphere of death-related rituals made temples more sensitive to demographic shifts. By applying Yanagawa’s concept of religion as human relationships, this thesis shows that the decline in Japanese temple Buddhism can be attributed to the secularization of Buddhism as a religion of human relationships centered on the interpersonal connections between priests and parishioner families and among parishioner families themselves. Lastly, this thesis suggests a relationships centered framework for analyzing socially engaged Buddhism and its role in the public sphere.

Type of resource	text
Date created	December 3, 2020

Author	Chanko, Sasha
Primary advisor	Kieschnick, John
Advisor	Mross, Michaela
Degree granting institution	Stanford University, Stanford Global Studies, Center for East Asian Studies

Location	https://purl.stanford.edu/mm491xs2675

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License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 Unported license (CC BY-NC).

Preferred Citation: Chanko, Sasha. (2020). Secularization, the Decline of Temple Buddhism, and the Search for Connection in Contemporary Japan. Stanford Digital Repository. Available at: https://purl.stanford.edu/mm491xs2675

Stanford Center for East Asian Studies Thesis Collection

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