Japan is the country where "Wedding is held by Shintoists and Funeral by Buddhists. Following Christianity, everybody celebrates Christmas and St. Valentine's Day, from which 'White Day (March 14) ' is derived besides." But this doesn't always mean Japanese have a shallower faith in religion than people of mono-religious countries. We have somewhat vague consciousness that 'Religion is something noble and extraordinary', which sometimes occurs to our mind when we want to restrain our own excessive desire. In case of Japan, however, what one can manage himself in everyday life is chiefly limited to keeping step with each other such as ' See other's behavior and correct yours', and there are less structures like church or bilbe which temporarily seperate people from secular societies, and there is nothing one can aim at absolutely like 'for the sake of God'. I don't want to ask whether it is good or not. Although songs of Japan have little lyrics including the word God or Buddha, I sometimes feel some of them reserved or refined in a good sense since they never say such austere words easily. Meanwhile, when I listen to gospel or soul my mind is blown by the way the singers sing to their hearts' content for shining their own spirits. There are persons in various kinds of position who I take up later : a sinner sings for sublimating his own grief to delight, or a singer's fulfilled atmosphere prevails on the audience. Anywhere in east or west, if one of the meanings of religion is something 'rewinding one's own spring', I think singing should be a help to it. (2005/05/15)