The Concept of Space and Time in Japanese Traditional Thought

The problem of Space and Time is a most fundamental metaphysical or ontological problem in philosophy as well as scientific inquiries since earliest times of the history of human intellectual developments. In the same way, it often associated with the religious conceptions in its earliest times and then gradually come to be deeply associated with the scientific conceptions in the course of its conceptual development. Of the various conceptions of space and time in the Eastern and Western traditions, that of Japanese tradition is significant as its syncretism of ancient Asian traditions such as Shintoism, Buddhism, and Taoism. In this paper, the attempt will be made to show the significant features of Japanese traditional thought by the philosophical analysis of the concept of space and time. To achieve the aim of the research, descriptive method and evaluative method will be used. As the contribution it can be expected that through the real understanding of Japanese philosophical conception of Space and Time, it will tum out to be cross cultural understanding among the traditional cultures of today's world