Japan has a history dating all the way back to the Ice Age, or Joumon period. The next period, the Yayoi period, was recorded in Chinese history books and then translated and used in modern Japanese history textbooks. The Japanese people only started writing their own history during the Heian period, from 794 to 1185. During the Heian period, the separation between Japanese and Chinese culture grew as Japan began to develop and cultivate itself. This period of time was known for the rapid growth of Japanese-centered culture. The first Shinto shrine in Japan was built during the Yayoi period as the country went through heavy agricultural development. The shrines were temporary structures built to attract the Kami’s (god’s) attention. They were, however, quite rare. When Buddhism was introduced to Japan, it brought with it the idea of permanent structures. The first Buddhist temple in Japan, Hōkō-ji, was built between the years 588 and 596.
A prominent tradition that I have learned about since coming to Japan has to do with the temples and shrines themselves. They are traditional structures, but they also play a large part in Japanese society. A notable distinction is how temples and shrines differ from each other. Shrines refer to Shintoism, a very traditional Japanese set of beliefs.
