bronze, colossal statues of Buddha, and lesser ones of saints and worthies innumerable, bear witness to the lavish use of wealth in the expression of religious devotion.  It is sometimes said that Buddhism is moribund in Japan.  It is seriously asserted that its temples are falling into decay.  This is no more true of the temples of Buddhism in Japan, than of the cathedrals Of Christendom.  Local causes greatly affect the prosperity of the various temples.  Some are falling into decay, but others are being repaired, and new ones are being built.  No one can have visited any shrine of note without observing the large number of signboards along either side of the main approach, on which are written the sums contributed for the building or repairing of the temple.  These gifts are often munificent, single gifts sometimes reaching the sum of a thousand yen; I have noticed a few exceeding this amount.  The total number of these temples and shrines throughout the country is amazing.  According to government statistics, in 1894 the Buddhist temples numbered 71,831; and the Shinto temples and shrines which have received official registration reached the vast number of 190,803.  The largest temple in Japan, costing several million dollars, the Nishihongwanji in Kyoto, has been built during the past decade.  Considering the general poverty of the nation, the proportion of gifts made for the erection and maintenance of these temples and shrines is a striking testimony to the reality of some sort of religious zeal.  That it rests entirely on form and meaningless rites, is incredible.

XXVI

SOME RELIGIOUS PHENOMENA

Without doubt, many traits are attributed to the Japanese by the casual observer or captious critic, through lack of ability to read between the lines.  We have already seen how the stoical element of Japanese character serves to conceal from the sociologist the emotional nature of the people.  If a Japanese conceals his ordinary emotions, much more does he refrain from public exhibition of his deeper religious aspirations.  Although he may feel profoundly, his face and manner seldom reveal it.  When torn with grief over the loss of a parent or son, he will tell you of his loss with smiles, if not with actual laughter.  “The Japanese smile” has betrayed the solemn foreigner into many an error of individual and racial character interpretation.  Particularly frequent have been such errors in matters of religion.

Although the light and joyous, “smiling” aspect of Japanese religious life is prominent, the careful observer will come incidentally and unexpectedly on many signs of an opposite nature, if he mingle intimately with the people.  Japan has its sorrows and its tragedies, no less than other lands.  These have their part in determining religious phenomena.