Buddhism (/ˈbʊdɪzəm/, US also /ˈbuːd-/)[1][2] is the world's fourth-largest religion[3][4] with over 520

million followers, or over 7% of the global population, known as Buddhists.[web 1][5] Buddhism
encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on original
teachings attributed to the Buddha and resulting interpreted philosophies.

Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to Insight into the true
nature of reality. Buddhist practices like meditation are means of changing yourself in order
to develop the qualities of awareness, kindness, and wisdom. The experience developed
within the Buddhist tradition over thousands of years has created an incomparable resource
for all those who wish to follow a path — a path which ultimately culminates in
Enlightenment or Buddhahood. An enlightened being sees the nature of reality absolutely
clearly, just as it is, and lives fully and naturally in accordance with that vision. This is the
goal of the Buddhist spiritual life, representing the end of suffering for anyone who attains it.
 Four Noble truths
 Eightfold Path

Shintoism

What do its followers believe? Shinto means the way of the gods. Shintoism is an Ancient religion
of Japan. It started at least as long ago as 1000 B.C.E. but is still practiced today by at least five million
people. The followers of Shintoism believe that spiritual powers exist in the natural world. They believe that
spirits called "kami" live in natural places such as in animals, plants, stones, mountains, rivers, people and
even the dead.
Japanese Tea Ceremony (Chanoyu)
Kadomatsu – pine and bamboo decoration

Sumo (相撲, sumō) is a Japanese style of wrestling and Japan's national sport. It
originated in ancient times as a performance to entertain the Shinto deities. Many
rituals with religious background, such as the symbolic purification of the ring with
salt, are still followed today. In line with tradition, only men practice the sport
professionally in Japan.

The rules are simple: the wrestler who first exits the ring or touches the ground
with any part of his body besides the soles of his feet loses. Matches take place
on an elevated ring (dohyo), which is made of clay and covered in a layer of
sand. A contest usually lasts only a few seconds, but in rare cases can take a
minute or more. There are no weight restrictions or classes in sumo, meaning
that wrestlers can easily find themselves matched off against someone many
times their size. As a result, weight gain is an essential part of sumo training.

All sumo wrestlers are classified in a ranking hierarchy (banzuke), which gets
updated after each tournament based on the wrestlers' performance. Wrestlers
with positive records (more wins than losses) move up the hierarchy, while those
with negative records get demoted. The top division is called "Makuuchi" and the
second division is called "Juryo". At the pinnacle of the sumo hierarchy stands
the yokozuna (grand champion). Unlike wrestlers in lower ranks, a yokozuna
cannot be demoted, but he will be expected to retire when his performance
begins to worsen.

Chinese (kuàizi 筷子)

Chinese chopsticks can be made of everything from bamboo and bone to wood and
jade. They are long, rectangular, and blunt at the ends. Logically, the type of material
would depend on the type of food being eaten – you’d be wise to stay away from metal
chopsticks at a hot pot dinner, for example. Regardless of material, all Chinese
chopsticks are built in a way that makes it easier to pick up small, rounded foods like
rice or beans.

This elongated structure traces back to as far as the 10th century, when tables that first
arrived in China from West or Central Asia appeared raised to smaller people. Long
chopsticks allowed larger groups to reach out and share food placed in the middle.

Japanese (hashi 箸 or otemoto おてもと)

Compared to Chinese and Korean counterparts, Japanese chopsticks are the shortest.
They also differ in placing – while chopsticks are commonly placed by the side, the
Japanese position theirs horizontal to their food (but never across the bowl/plate!) to
accommodate their eating style from platters and bento boxes. These sticks taper off to
a rounded tip, which makes them easier to grip and control. Sharp points on the
opposite end also hold a practical purpose in the fish-rich Japanese diet: picking out tiny
bones.

Japanese people are even respectable to their cutlery. Chopsticks are highly personal
items as it is believed that once a pair touches your lips, it becomes attached to your
spirit. The Japanese held this belief so strongly that during meal times, they would bring
out the chopsticks of a family member who was away so they could be ‘there in spirit’.