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| Total population | |
|---|---|
 320000 (0.26%) (2025) | |
| Languages | |
| Liturgical:Sanskrit |
Hinduism is a minorityreligion in Japan mainly followed by theIndian,Sri Lankan andNepaliexpatriate residents of Japan, who number about 320,000 people as of mid 2025.[1]
Hinduism diffused throughout East Asia via trade routes, and also through the expansion of Buddhism in the sixth century.[2] There has also been significant transfer of Hindu-derived material native to China and South East Asia into Japan.[3][4][5]
Hindu deities have been integrated into Japanese religious culture and several deities are worshiped for good luck.[6] In fact there are many deities that are still worshiped in Japan which have long been forgotten in India.[7]
Saraswati (Benzaiten) is arguably the most revered deity in Japan after the Buddha.[8] She forms as a part of the "Seven Gods of Fortune", of which four originated as Hindu deities:Benzaitensama (Sarasvati), Bishamon (Vaiśravaṇa orKubera),Daikokuten (Mahākāla orShiva), andKichijōten (Lakshmi). The last, along withBenzaitennyo (Saraswati) andthe female version of Daikokuten completes thenipponizedTridevi of Great Goddesses.[9]
The Hindu god of death,Yama, is known in his Buddhist form asEnma.Garuda, the mount (vahana) ofVishnu, is known as theKarura (迦楼羅), an enormous, fire-breathing creature in Japan. It has the body of a human and the face or beak of aneagle.Tennin originated from theapsaras.[citation needed]
Ganesha (orKangiten) is prayed to for health, success and good fortune. ManyJapanese Buddhist deities (orTenbu) have their roots in Hinduism and are still revered by many Japanese particularly inShingon Buddhism.[citation needed]
Hinduism is practiced mainly by Nepali, Indian and Sri Lankan migrants, although there are others. As of 2025, there are 63,472Sri Lankans, 60,975Indians and 273,043Nepalis in Japan.[10][11][12]
The few Hindu temples in Japan are as follows:
TheAssociation of Religion Data Archives estimated that 0.07% of the population of Japan were Hindu in 2020.[13]
