What traditions and ceremonies are traditional to Japanese culture? Which Western traditions have been incorporated over time? America is known as the first secular nation since our Constitution protects freedom of religion. Still, America still uses certain religious customs in national ceremonies, as when the the President recites the oath of office while placing a hand on a Bible and ends the oath with the traditional phrase “So help me God”. In this case, the religious reference has become a social custom. Japan shares similar approaches to the incorporation of religion into the national identity. Freedom of religion for all citizens is guaranteed in Japan's Constitution of 1946. Today, even though Japanese people often describe themselves as atheist or agnostic, it contradicts the fact that they continue to partake in traditions directly or indirectly rooted in Shintoism and Buddhism.
