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date: 14 February 2025

Japanese Diasporic Religionslocked

Japanese Diasporic Religionslocked

  • Emily AndersonEmily AndersonJapanese American National Museum

Summary

The religions that Japanese immigrants practiced once they settled in the United States reflect both the specific Japanese historical religious context they left and the different needs and circumstances they encountered once they arrived in the United States. Initially, religious institutions served immigrants as sites of worship and pastoral care, community centers, and temporary housing. Immigrants especially relied on Buddhist priests to conduct funerary rites.

As Japanese immigrants faced increasing anti-Japanese activism and efforts to pass legislation that legalized discriminatory practices that singled them out, Japanese immigrants also relied on religious institutions for comfort. Once single male laborers were joined by women and began establishing families, religious institutions continued to serve as community anchors where Japanese immigrants gathered to worship, find comfort in the company of compatriots, and celebrate common culture. When American-born children joined their immigrant parents, religious institutions served as sites to teach children about not only their family’s religion but also Japanese culture. Eventually, as these children grew older, these institutions also began adding English-language services and staff who could lead separate programs for the English-speaking second generation. Churches and temples also offered youth activities like Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and social clubs through which they could socialize with others with similar backgrounds.

With the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States entry into the Second World War, Japanese immigrants and their American children faced increased hostility and prejudice. Religious leaders, especially Shinto and Buddhist priests, were considered potentially subversive and detained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Eventually, all people of Japanese ancestry were excluded from the west coast. Religious institutions were transformed into storage facilities as Japanese Americans frantically packed their belongings, leaving behind most of what they owned because they could only take with them what they could carry. Religious leaders continued to serve their communities as best they could as they faced fear and uncertainty.

Subjects

  • Asian American History

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