#DidYouKnow: Japan has a town named after Goddess Lakshmi!
No matter how political ties are between India and Japan, the two countries are surely connected by religion. Though Hinduism is a minority religion in Japan, it still has significant contribution to its culture. For instance, four of Japan's 'Seven Gods of Fortunes' are Hindu! But isn't it surprising that a town in Japan is named after Goddess Lakshmi? That's right!
Lakshmi is one of the most revered gods in Japan
The town named after the deity is called Kichijoji, some 14kms from Japan's busy capital Tokyo. In fact, Kichijo-ten, or Lakshmi, is one of the most revered gods in Japan, said Consul General Takayuki Kitagawa yesterday. Kitagawa was addressing the students and faculty of Bengaluru-based Dayanand Sagar institutions on their graduation day, who were left spellbound by his speech.
Lakshmi, Saraswati, Shiva among Japan's '7 Gods of Fortunes'
Apart from Lakshmi, the other three deities that form the 'Seven Gods of Fortunes' are Benzaitensama (Saraswati), Bishamon (Vaiśravaṇa or Kubera), and Daikokuten (Mahākāla/Shiva). This is despite Buddhism being the major religion in Japan. Hindu gods are also revered by followers of Shingon Buddhism.
'For ages, we have been praying to Hindu gods'
Emphasizing on the strong bond shared by India and Japan, Kitagawa said the very fact that there are so many Hindu temples in Japan proves how Hinduism has influenced the Land of the Rising Sun. "For ages, we have been praying to Hindu gods," said the diplomat, who started speaking in Kannada initially, leaving all stumped. Other Indian offerings have influenced Japan too.
Even Indian languages, food items have influenced Japanese culture
"Not just Indian culture, even languages had a great influence on our language and tradition of worship," added Kitagawa. In Japanese script, 500 words have origins in Indian languages like Sanskrit and Tamil. Even food, for example, the very famous "Japanese dish sushi is made of rice and vinegar." "Sushi's also associated with shari, which is from Sanskrit word 'zaali', meaning rice," he added.
Japan to teach Bengaluru students their language for skill development
Kitagawa was in town for signing an agreement with the privately-run group of educational institutions, under which the Japanese Government will train students in the Japanese language. This will help Indian graduates find jobs, "as there is a great demand for skilled professionals in Japan."
