I was taught that [Siddham](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%A2%B5%E5%AD%97)
is used in modern cultural context of Japan as a system of writing the Buddhis
texts and (or) mantras.

What is the exact context of its usage? Is it applicable at all?

My apologies for bothering you with such a question, but I do lack knowledge
of the topic.
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question
orthography
What is the current usage of Siddham (梵字)?
According to Wikipedia's article on the [Siddhaṃ
alphabet](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddha%E1%B9%83_alphabet):

```

    In Japan the writing of mantras and copying of Sutras using 
    the Siddhaṃ script is still practiced in the esoteric Buddhist 
    schools of Shingon and Tendai as well as in the syncretic sect of Shugendō.
    
```

... and

```

    A recent innovation is the writing of Japanese language slogans 
    on T-shirts using Bonji. Japanese Siddhaṃ has evolved from the 
    original script used to write sūtras and is now somewhat different 
    from the ancient script.
    
```

While your question focuses on modern use of Siddham in Japan, for a historic
reference of it's introduction to China and Japan see [Siddham in China and
Japan - Sino-Platonic Papers](http://www.sino-
platonic.org/complete/spp088_siddham_china_japan.pdf). One of the things this
paper shows is how Japanese is heavily derived from not just Chinese but from
Siddham as well (somewhere around page 102).
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answer