It's common to see Japanese declare themselves nonreligious, or something similar, and seeing how Japanese perhaps understand religion (something organized, kinda scary, or even cultish) it does not come as a surprise to hear that declaration. But once those very same Japanese walk up to a shrine, throw in a coin, and then pray to their gods without a single doubt in their voices, we perhaps begin to understand the deep abyss between the Western and Japanese understanding of being nonreligious.