There are two principal religions in Japan, Shintoism and Buddhism, followed by 54 percent and 40 percent of the population respectively.

Shintoism is more a set of traditions and customs than an actual religion. It is classified as an animist religion as people believe in the spirits of nature, or kami, which can be found in a tree, a rock, or a waterfall. Shintoists are not bound by any formal set of rules, such as the Bible in Christianity of the Koran in Islam. Japanese Buddhism is divided in 15 sects, although only seven of them are still relatively common.

According to the online publication Japan Reference, the Japanese do not mind mixing elements of Buddhism and Shinto with one another, and many people would be at a loss to say which element belongs to which religion.

There is a Christian minority in Japan, dating back from the contact with Portuguese and Spanish missionaries in the 16th century. Christians only make up 1 percent of the Japanese population.

Religion does not play a big role in the everyday life of most Japanese people today. The average person typically follows the religious rituals at ceremonies like birth, weddings, and funerals, may visit a shrine or temple on New Year, and participates at local festivals (matsuri), most of which have a religious background.