Et cum spiriti tuo, Mary Anne---

My brief exploration of religion in Japan show so many mathematical permutations of sects and groupings that it is overwhelming.

Karel van Wolferen attempts to give a full-scale examination the religious diversity in Japan in his book, THE ENIGMA OF JAPANESE POWER.

According to this opus, Buddhism in a recognizable state was outlawed and persecuted along with Christianity during the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Several new forms of Buddhism emerged during the latter part of the Meiji Restoration under many different names but all having been stripped of Buddhism's concept of the transcendental notions it had developed. Many Buddhist sects were outlawed.

Buddhism today in Japan seems to be in sects decended from Nichiren Buddhism.

Most Japanese religions seem to contain a high social content. An example is PL Kyodan, known as the "golf religion" because they have roof top driving ranges on their churches.

Japan even seems to have a religion for SDAI-Tech1. The religion is Denshinkyo which is known as the "electricity religion" which worships Thomas Edison.

All this reflects back to the point I still think is correct. Buddhism is probably the only major religion without a religious war. After the introduction of the religion even the Samurai apparently went for 230 years without a war.