The history of Sikhism and the development of the community in Japan has been gradual. The Janam Sakhis also indicate that Guru Nanak Dev Ji travelled to Japan, along with other parts of Asia. From early times to modern times, the Sikh community has maintained its religious and cultural identity despite facing many challenges. The Sikh community in Japan is mainly concentrated in the cities of Kobe and Tokyo. The Gurdwara in Kobe is an important place for the Sikh community.
In 1900, Puran Singh went to Japan to study pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of Tokyo. He later decided to become a Buddhist monk.
In 1903-04, Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala visited Japan, which had a profound impact on him. The Maharaja shared his travel experiences in a book titled “My Travels in China, Japan and Java”, published in 1905. In the 1920s, some Sikhs began to settle in the western regions of Japan. After the Great Kantō Earthquake of 1923, Sikhs living in Yokohama settled in Kobe.
During World War II, Sikh soldiers fought against the Japanese forces. Some of these soldiers were captured as prisoners of war and faced severe torture by the Japanese soldiers. At the same time, many Sikhs joined the Azad Hind Fauj, which was against British rule.
The first Gurdwara in Kobe, which is the main center of the community, was established in 1952. It was later converted into a full-fledged Gurdwara in 1966, replacing the old residence of Indian Sikhs. It is known as the ‘Guru Nanak Darbar Sahib’. This Gurdwara is the center of religious, cultural and social activities of the community. The Sikh community of Kobe is more dedicated to Sikh traditions and is active in maintaining its identity.
In 1999, to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa Panth, a Gurdwara named ‘Tokyo Guru Nanak Darbar’ was built in Tokyo. This Gurdwara is located in the basement of an office building. It is open for religious services only one day a month. Tokyo’s Sikh community is more urban and many people have integrated into the local culture. Many Sikhs here cut their hair.
The Sikh festival of Vaisakhi is also celebrated with great pomp in Japan.
In the early days, Sikhs in Japan faced misunderstandings due to their distinctive appearance. They were considered ‘terrorists’. Over time, the local Japanese community embraced Sikhism and started attending langar services and also started donating to the Gurdwara. Many Japanese girls also got married to Sikhs.
I.T. Sikhs working in the sector maintain their religious identity, while Sikhs working in small businesses often compromise their traditions. Sikhs have faced challenges in maintaining their cultural practices in Japan. Some Sikhs have experienced conflict with Japanese regulations, which make it difficult to follow their faith while participating in society, such as restrictions on working and participating in sports clubs.
Kobe-born Japanese scholar Tomio Mizokami has conducted extensive research on the Punjabi language and Sikhism. He translated Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s composition Japji Sahib into Japanese and was awarded the Padma Shri in 2018. In 2021, the Tokyo Gurdwara raised 5.2 million yen, which was donated to combat the COVID-19 crisis in India.
In the late 1990s, the number of Sikhs in Tokyo was estimated at 20,000–30,000. However, now it has come down to around 500, as Sikhs have migrated from here to various western countries. Out of these, 50 Sikhs are married to Japanese citizens. About 40-50 Sikh families live in Kobe. The knowledge of Punjabi language and Gurmukhi script is gradually decreasing among the next generation here. No one is paying attention to this. This is a big problem.
When Japanese soldiers committed inhuman torture on Sikh soldiers
Thousands of British and Commonwealth Sikh soldiers died due to starvation, overwork, torture or disease in Japanese prisoner of war camps during World War II. In terms of atrocities, the Japanese forces were like the Nazis of Europe and the modern-day ISIS. The Japanese soldiers kept taking the lives of the captured Sikh soldiers for shooting practice. Some such pictures from the records of the Japanese army are available on the Internet. The attitude of the Japanese army towards prisoners of war was extremely brutal.
The pictures on the Internet are witnesses to the fact that the prisoners of the Sikh regiment of the British Indian Army were lined up with marks and the Japanese soldiers practiced shooting. The number of blows received by each one was also counted. In the pictures, the Sikh soldiers can be seen standing in a circle, remembering God at the last moment, steadfast and unafraid of death.
In another picture, the Japanese soldiers are seen touching the bodies to confirm whether the prisoner under the target is dead or still alive.
The period after the capture of Singapore by General Tomoyuki Yamashita from Winston Churchill is known as the greatest tragedy of the British army. It is noteworthy that Yamashita later faced legal troubles over these atrocities in Singapore and several other massacres in Southeast Asia. YamashitaGita was sentenced to death in 1946.
