How Westerners Feel God vs. How Japan Senses the Divine

In the West, there is only one God. The underlying concept is that a single God rules the world and establishes order.

Here, I’d like to ask those of you who are Western Christians one question. At what moment did you “feel” the presence of God — Jesus Christ? It might have been during prayer, or at a crossroads in your life. Perhaps you felt He was “by your side” when you managed to rise above adversity.

Now, let’s talk about the gods of Japan. In Japan, there are eight million gods. Gods dwell in mountains, rivers, rocks, the wind, and even in nameless places.

When I say that, people from overseas might respond, “There’s no way there are that many gods,” or “That’s way too many.”

If that’s the case, I’d like you to visit Ise Grand Shrine or Izumo Grand Shrine — either one will do. You’ll understand once you go.

There’s an atmosphere there that’s different from a typical tourist spot. The way the trees sway, the way the wind blows, the sound of the gravel, the density of the air. It all creates the “vibe of a place where the gods reside.”

Japanese people don’t see the presence of the gods with their eyes; they sense it through that vibe. It’s not something you can touch, nor is it something you can see. But through the “quality of the space” and the “intensity of the presence” there, we feel the presence of the gods.

The concept of “eight million gods” isn’t about numbers. It’s about the fact that “there are that many different kinds of presence you can sense.”

Religion in Japan is less about faith and more about that vibe.