680 



THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 



[chap. 



{torryi) of wood, stone, or copper, and here and there are ropes, 

 stretched over the way, to which written prayers and vows are 

 affixed. 



Even those who have long studied Japan and its literature 

 have very little knowledge of the inner essence of Shintoism. 

 This religion is considered by some a pure deism, by others a 

 belief with political aims, the followers of which worship the 

 departed heroes of the country. Of a developed morality this 

 religion is wholly devoid. In the same way it appears to be 

 uncertain whether Shintoism is a survival of the original religion 

 of the country or whether it has been brought from abroad. 



GATE ACB0S3 THE ROAD TO A SHINTO TEMPLE. 



Buddhism was introduced from China by Corea. Its temples 

 are more ornamented than the Shinto temples, and contain images 

 of deities, bells, drums, holy books, and a great quantity of altar 

 ornaments. The transmigration of souls, and rewards and 

 punishments in a life after this, are doctrines of Buddhism. 

 Outside the temples proper there are to be found in many places 

 large or small images in stone or bronze of the deities of 

 Buddha. The largest of these consist of colossal statues in 

 bronze (Daihutsu), representing Buddha in a sitting position, and 

 themselves forming the screen to a temple with smaller images. 



