[coliveira]

Belief in gods and participation in rituals are different things. Japanese people are very traditional, they like to maintain the rituals of their predecessors. However, this doesn't imply that they believe in traditional gods. This may be strange for people that grew up on Christianity, but it is natural once you stop believing in supernatural beings.

[vorpalhex]

Plenty of religions were happy to add Jesus to their pantheon too.

[Bakary]

Does a ritual, if performed with some expectation of it having an effect on your life beyond the act of its own doing, not also imply a belief in supernatural entities?

[naniwaduni]

Nah, it implies a belief in natural forces.

[Bakary]

I'm not seeing a meaningful difference since the boundary between a passive or active supernatural force is not always clear in any regional belief system.

Christians will pray to Saints, which appear to be beings, but the rituals having to do with their invocation often seem to be treating them like forces.

The difference is orientalism and the compulsion to label Asian beliefs as more mysterious and wise than usual.

[naniwaduni]

It's not a difference. Take a look at proposed mechanisms of fan death, and consider, does that seem like a belief in the supernatural? Or a belief in a natural process that, incidentally, shouldn't actually be true?

People generally believe their own beliefs, and this includes believing that the way they think the world works is natural, not supernatural.

[Bakary]

My bad. A supernatural force actually caused me to misread your previous comment.