Today I’d like to introduce some common place elements to the Buddhist culture, yet I can imagine these will be extremely shocking and surprising elements to my Western audience involving just how Japanese Buddhists participate in false religion. While on a prayer walk recently, I stumbled upon this place of worship, Shinkoin Temple.
This temple said to be inhabited by Amida Nyorai, one of the many Buddha’s in the Buddhist religion. He is the Buddha considered to have the most “excellent light” among all the other Buddhas, and is the only one believed to be able to, “unconditionally save all living beings, no matter how serious their sins.”
Sounds a little familiar doesn’t it? Please read my latest blog for the real details and truth of who actually is the ONLY LIGHT and the ONLY ONE who is able to truly save us from our sins.
(https://liftedvision.org/2025/04/08/the-true-light/)
Another feature and “lesser god” of this temple is a “sacred” Doraemon statue. Doraemon is an anime character, who is actually an earless robotic cat. The premise of the anime is that the Doraemon character has supernatural abilities and is able to travel back from the 22nd century to help a boy with his current day problems. The Japanese people truly believe that this “sacred” anime character will do the same for them, as a future being, and come back in time to help them when they really need it.
The last interesting feature I noticed was a giant stone wheel that can be found at many temples around Japan. Cylindrical stone wheels at temples are often referred to as “prayer wheels.” They are inscribed with “sacred symbols” and mantras which are used for recitation and meditation. During prayer to the idol god’s at the temple, partitioners spin the wheel clockwise, which is believed to have the same effect as reciting the mantras inscribed on them. The purpose of these wheels is to, “cultivate wisdom and compassion, to elicit progress on the spiritual path, to accumulate merit, and to gain liberation from the cycle of karma.”
The saddest part of all of this is that there were actually temple-goers when I was there (please see the pictures and videos below) involving themselves with the prayer wheel, praying to the various “gods” and asking sincerely for help. The level to which these Japanese Buddhists are deceived is almost unbelievable without seeing it for yourself. Oh, how the message and knowledge of the one true Savior is so desperately needed here!
Overall, the presence of Buddhism is strong in Japan, and I want to shed more light on this situation as this is the number one religion in Japan currently and one of the biggest obstacles that stands in the way of people meeting the one true God, Jesus Christ.
At the same time, many new Christian churches have been popping up all over Japan, and although they are newer, there seems to be a new abundance of them! Many people that used to go to these temples are now attending Christian churches and hearing the Word of God weekly. I pray that God will continue to move and know He will as His light shines the brightest in the darkness!!!
I feel like all of my blogs end in this same fashion, but I plead with you with a very necessary call to action to: Please pray for Japan!
God’s presence is here (!) and although we must contend with this atmosphere at the moment, our Holy Spirit’s light is stronger!
Thank you so much for reading and I pray that everyone who reads these words would be blessed beyond measure! Take care and be blessed!!!
Lifted Vision Ministry 