Editing Religion in Japan (section)

==Religious practices and holidays==
Most Japanese participate in rituals and customs derived from several religious traditions. Life cycle events are often marked by visits to a Shinto shrine and Buddhist temples. The birth of a new baby is celebrated with a formal shrine or temple visit at the age of about one month, as are the third, fifth, and seventh birthdays (''[[Shichi-Go-San]]'') and the official beginning of [[adulthood]] at age twenty (''[[Seijin shiki]]''). The vast majority of Japanese wedding ceremonies have been Christian for at least the last three and half decades.<ref name="nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp">LeFebvre, J. (2015). Christian wedding ceremonies: “Nonreligiousness” in contemporary Japan. Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, 42(2), 185-203. http://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/nfile/4454</ref> Shinto weddings and secular weddings that follow a "western-style" format are also popular but much less so and a small fraction (usually less than one percent) of weddings are Buddhist.<ref name="nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp"/>

[[Japanese funeral]]s are usually performed by Buddhist priests, and Buddhist rites are also common on death day anniversaries of deceased family members. 91% of Japanese funerals take place according to [[Buddhist]] traditions.

There are two categories of holidays in Japan: ''[[matsuri]]'' (temple fairs), which are largely of Shinto origin (some are Buddhist like [[Buddha's Birthday|Hanamatsuri]]) and relate to the cultivation of rice and the spiritual well-being of the local community; and ''nenjyū gyōji'' (annual feasts), which are largely of Chinese or Buddhist origin. During the [[Heian period]], the ''matsuri'' were organized into a formal calendar, and other festivals were added. Very few ''matsuri'' or annual feasts are national holidays, but they are included in the national calendar of annual events. Most ''matsuri'' are local events and follow local traditions. They may be sponsored by schools, towns, or other groups but are most often associated with Shinto shrines.

Some of the holidays are secular in nature, but the two most significant for the majority of Japanese—[[New Year's Day]] and ''[[Bon Festival|Obon]]''—involve visits to Shinto shrines or Buddhist temples and only Buddhist temples for later. The New Year's holiday (January 1–3) is marked by the practice of numerous customs and the consumption of special foods. Visiting Shinto shrines or Buddhist temples to pray for family blessings in the coming year, dressing in a [[kimono]], hanging special decorations, eating noodles on New Year's Eve, and playing a poetry card game are among these practices. During Obon, ''bon'' (spirit altars) are set up in front of Buddhist family altars, which, along with ancestral graves, are cleaned in anticipation of the return of the spirits. People living away from their family homes return for visits with relatives. Celebrations include folk dancing and prayers at Buddhist temples as well as family rituals in the home.